Kanojo Ni Naru Hi Yuugi
by King of Doors
Summary: When Yuugi wakes up and finds out he's emerged as a woman, his whole world changes. Adjusting to his new life will take some time, but it's a good thing he has Yami there to help him through it. Their friendship isn't going to change just because he did… will it? Based on the world of Kanojo Ni Naru Hi. Fem!Yuugi Puzzleshipping, tendershipping, puppyshipping.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh or Kanojo Ni Naru Hi _  
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Chapter 1

"Ugh! I give up!"

Yuugi threw himself backwards dramatically on his bed, tossing his pen across the room in the process. "Why the heck does it matter who painted the Sistine Chapel? Why can't we just label all art _"done by some old dead guy"_ and be done with it?"

The other person in the room chuckled, leaning against the bed as he scratched out something on his homework.

"I think you'd insult a lot of people trying to do that." Said Yami, Yuugi's best friend and current study partner. "Michelangelo was a genius of his time. It's important to document history and learn from it. Even art has its purpose."

"How do you know who painted the Sistine chapel when you're not even taking art appreciation?"

"Because I pay attention."

Yuugi scoffed. Normally he listened when Yami went into lecture mode, but he wasn't in the mood for it. He had just spent the last three hours doing algebra homework and then studying for his art appreciation test. He pressed his hand against his face, pulling down and effectively stretching the skin on his face.

"Remind me why I'm taking this class again?" Groaned Yuugi.

"Because of Anzu?" said Yami.

"Right, because of Anzu."

Anzu Mazaki was one of Yuugi's other best friends and current crush. The girl was practically perfect in Yuugi's eyes. She was kind, beautiful, a wonderful dancer, and didn't make fun of his height. He'd had a crush on her for the last few months and had even signed up for the some of the same classes just to spend more time with her. But that meant he ended up studying for hours on subjects he couldn't stand. Like art history.

"Do you think she's ever consider going out with me?" asked Yuugi, staring at the ceiling as he thought out loud. "I mean, I know we've got a lot of differences, but I don't think those things matter in the long run. I wonder if she even sees me as a man."

Yuugi heard the shuffle of paper and felt his bed dip. That was the only warning he had before Yami poked him in the side.

"Stop that." Cried Yuugi, suppressing the urge to laugh as he slapped away Yami's hand.

"No can do Yuugi." Said Yami, his tone completely serious. He was sitting on the bed, hovering above Yuugi while he wiggled his fingers threateningly at him. "You've been moaning for the past hour about Anzu and school. This is your punishment for making my ears ache."

"Don't you dare." Growled Yuugi, trying and failing at being intimidating if the gleam in Yami's face was anything to go by. The next second, he was assaulted by Yami's wiggling fingers as they poked and prodded at his stomach and sides.

"Gah! St- Phht Aahha. Sto– haha – op it! Ahhah - Yami I can't- hahah – b-breathe!"

Mercifully, the tickling finally stopped, and Yuugi took huge breaths, filling his lungs with much needed air. He stuck out his lip in a pout, staring at his friend who was still sitting on the bed.

"That was just mean." Said Yuugi.

Yami shrugged, looking completely unapologetic. His red eyes were shining in amusement. "I was sick of listening to you. When are you going to finally buck up and tell her how you feel?"

"That's easy for you to say." Scoffed Yuugi. "You're not the one confessing."

"Would you like me to do it for you?"

Yuugi sat up on the bed, as if struck by lightning. "You wouldn't!"

Yami smirked waggling his eyebrows at him. "I'll even write a love letter for you. This is what it will say: _Dear Anzu. I love you sooooo much! But I'm just super shy and can't tell you to your face. So would you please say yes and give your reply to the stud that's standing in front of-_ Hey!"

Yuugi had shoved Yami, who had to place a hand on the bed to keep from falling over.

"You are such a punk." Grumbled Yuugi.

Yami shoved him back, which in turn meant Yuugi had to return the gesture two fold, using his legs this time to kick Yami off the bed with a thump.

"Oof." Said Yami, "Careful, I nearly smashed my homework."

"It's not my fault you don't belong on the bed."

Yuugi flopped over onto his stomach, an elbow pressed against the bed to support his face as he stared at his friend, thinking. Yami was busy putting his homework together, carefully placing pieces of paper into his backpack and out of harm's way.

Yami was a good looking guy, even as a fellow man Yuugi could appreciate that. He had a strong lean build, a little on the short side but most girls didn't seem to mind not when he had those sharp eyes, the irises an exotic ruby. His dark hair stuck up in a star pattern mush like Yuugi's own, except it looked red when the light shone through the thinner edges of the hair. Yellow streaks of hair framed both his face and permanently exploding hair. He was obviously good eye candy.

"Hey Yami." Said Yuugi, "How come you don't have a girlfriend?"

Yami paused while zipping his backpack. He glanced at Yuugi, frowning.

"What brought this question?" said Yami.

"Well." Said Yuugi. "I'm just wondering why you don't have one. You're very popular at school, you've got good grades. You can be polite as long as pudding isn't involved. Heck, I've even seen some confession letters stuffed into your locker. So why don't you have a girlfriend?"

"Hmm. Well I guess because I don't want one."

Yami finished zipping his backpack, placing it against Yuugi's desk. The smaller teen rolled his eyes.

"Come on Yami, of course you want a girlfriend." Said Yuugi. "I know you're a secret romantic, despite what the general populace seems to think. There's no way that you aren't interested in having someone special."

"Ah... well there is someone special…"

Yuugi pressed his hands against the bed as he sat up, suddenly alert and no longer in the teasing mood. Yami liked someone? Was he being serious? Based on his friend's sudden interest in the ground made Yuugi think he was.

"How come you've never told me?" Said Yuugi. "When did you fall for her? No, forget that. Who is it? Tell me!"

Yami finally looked at him, eyes smiling as he shook his head. "No can do Yuugi. I'm not telling you who it is."

"And why not?"

"Because I don't want to."

"I told you about Anzu."

"Because you wanted to."

Yuugi rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll stop bugging you. But seriously this is a huge deal! Oh man, the fan girls are going to be so sad when you confess."

"That's assuming that I will confess."

"You will won't you?"

Yami didn't answer.

Yuugi narrowed his eyes at his friend. "So the great Yami Sennen can tell his friend to confess but he doesn't have the balls to do it himself. What's gotten into you?"

Silence.

Yuugi slid off the bed, joining Yami as they sat on the floor. He crossed his legs in front of him, waiting for Yami to say something. The guy didn't talk about his feelings much, but when he did Yuugi knew it was serious. Otherwise he wouldn't mention it. If he waited long enough, Yami would eventually speak. And speak he finally did.

"It's different with you and Anzu." Said Yami finally, running a hand through his hair. There was an obvious note of irritation in his voice "You've actually got a chance, whereas I don't."

Yuugi frowned. "You do realize that doesn't make sense. Anzu is here-" Yuugi placed his hand in their air in front of his chest. "While I'm over here- " He placed a hand a couple inches below his other hand. "-And then you're way the heck up here!" he stretched a hand up as far above his head as he could. "How the heck would you have less of a chance succeeding than I do?"

"It's not that simple."

"Explain then."

"They already like someone else."

"Oh."

Yuugi frowned in thought. "Then why don't you just steal them away? I'm sure if you amp up the charm, actually share your pudding, then they would fall for you instantly."

"What is it with you and pudding tonight?"

"You stole mine yesterday, remember?"

Yami gave a soft chuckle. "You were the one that left it unattended."

Yuugi smiled for a moment, then the smile slowly slid off his face as he studied Yami. Out of the ten years they had known each other this was the first time ever Yuugi had heard of Yami liking someone. It sucked that Yami was going to let his first love go like that. Much like how Yuugi was letting his own crush on Anzu go.

Yuugi stood up, suddenly struck by a great idea.

"What about this Yami!" he said excitedly. "If I confess to Anzu, will you confess to your crush?"

"Yuugi, I'm not going to confess." Said Yami, shaking his head. "I appreciate you trying to help, but it's not going to happen."

Yuugi wilted, sinking back onto the floor next to Yami. His friend gave him a nudge in the side. Yuugi looked back at Yami, who was smiling normally at him, displaying none of the pain Yuugi had seen from him before.

"Come on." Said Yami. "At least if you confess and are rejected you'll still have me to hang out with. I don't plan on getting hitched anytime soon."

"Is that supposed to help me feel better?"

"It defiantly makes me feel better."

"You're sadistic."

Yami laughed, then pulled out his cell phone, glancing at the screen.

"I'd better be getting home." He said, standing up and going to his backpack. "I've already stayed too long as it is. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."

"Why not just stay the night?" said Yuugi. "You've done It before."

"Just didn't want to assume." Said Yami, letting the backpack drop to the floor with a thump. Yuugi had to resist rolling his eyes. When did Yami not sleep over at his house at least three times a week? Especially when Yuugi's grandpa wasn't home, which was right now. It was only Yuugi in the house and he welcomed the extra company with open arms.

The two of them got ready for bed, the occasion so normal Yami had his own drawer of clothes. He even had his own toothbrush in Yuugi's bathroom.

They pulled out the mat from the closet, setting it right beside Yuugi's bed and layering it in extra comforters and sheets. Yuugi bid Yami good night, yawning as he lay on his covers.

But it was a few minutes before Yuugi was able to fall asleep, his thoughts turned to his friend's predicament. Who in the world did Yami like, and why wasn't he going to try to pursue them? Perhaps the girl already had a boyfriend? Or maybe she was much older than him. Either way, Yuugi felt bad for his friend. The boy meant everything to Yuugi. Yami had been the best of friends to Yuugi when he was alone and being bullied. More than anything he wanted Yami to find someone and be happy.

 _I wish I could help you Yami._ Thought Yuugi. _I hope that you do find love one day. You deserve it more than anyone I know._

With that thought, he rolled over and fell asleep.

* * *

The sound of his alarm clock woke Yuugi up the next morning. He fumbled for his phone, shutting off the sound before sitting up in bed. He grumbled, feeling more tired than he usually did in the morning.

Still half asleep, Yuugi grabbed some clean clothes and stumbled into the bathroom to take a shower before school. He was pulling off his shirt when he started to notice the changes.

There was a soft pressure on his back. If Yuugi didn't know better, he would have thought that it was his hair, but that was ridiculous. It didn't reach that far even when it was wet. And what the heck was up with his chest? If he didn't know any better, he would have thought they were breasts.

Cold shock rippled through Yuugi when he noticed the absence of a certain presence between his thighs. He pressed a hand against his crotch, the usual bulge missing. He pulled the waistband of his boxers forward, staring down at what definitely had not been there the day before.

With a snap, he let the boxers go.

"This isn't possible."

Yuugi stumbled, dread filling him as he walked up to the sink, standing on the stool stationed there to get a good look at himself in the mirror. In the reflection he saw a very frightened girl that could have been his twin. Except that her hair was longer, going halfway down her back and fanning out, hinting at the usual spiky star Yuugi had always had. Her eyes were also rounder, wide in fear and surprise. They were the same violet his had been. Cheeks were softer, lips plumper... her chest was only a little bigger than Yuugi's was.

Yuugi raised a hand, noticing that as he did so, the reflection did as well. He poked his face, the girl doing the same. He opened his mouth, the girl doing so as well…

And screamed.

There was a loud crash, then the sound of pounding on the bathroom door reached Yuugi's ears.

"Yuugi! Is that you? I heard a loud scream. Are you alright? Answer me!"

Shaking uncontrollably, Yuugi undid the lock on his door and swung it opened. It revealed a very concerned Yami in his t-shirt and boxers, staring at Yuugi. The concern turned to complete shock.

"Y-Yami." Said Yuugi, tears forming in his eyes. "I Think… I think I just emerged…."

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 **Thanks for reading!**

 **This just hit me one day and I was like hey! Let's do it! So here I am doing it. Let me know what you think! Reviews keep the motivation high!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

There was a long pause as neither of them moved.

Suddenly Yami's face turned red, his eyes shooting to the ceiling.

"Y-Yuugi." He stuttered. "Your shirt…"

"I can't believe this happened to me." Said Yuugi, Yami's words no longer registering in his mind. "I thought people didn't emerge after turning twelve. I'm flipping seventeen years old. How did this happen?"

Yuugi's breathes were coming in quick short gasps as he tried to come to grips with his new situation. No, with _her_ new situation. She was a girl now.

That thought almost made her hyperventilate. If she had been alone she might have passed out from the shock alone. Lucky for Yuugi, she wasn't alone.

She felt the press of fabric on her head, and the next second a shirt was being pulled over her body. Yami had taken his off to cover Yuugi, guiding her arms through the sleeves.

"Calm down Yuugi." He said, the sound of his voice helping to sooth Yuugi's fears. "It's alright, breathe. You're going to be just fine."

Yuugi took a few shaky breathes, concentrating on calming down. Yami wrapped an arm around her shoulders and she clung onto it, letting him support her as he led her into the living room. Once there, she sat down on the couch, her mind swirling at a million miles per hour.

The first thing that came to her mind was what her grandpa would say. Would he be disgusted with her now that she had changed into a girl? It was probably an irrational thought. Of course grandpa wouldn't throw her out because she had emerged, but what about all of her friends? Oh hell, what were they all going to think of her? How was the rest of the school going react? She didn't think she could face them all. Not like this…

Yuugi's bottom lip started to tremble, tears threatening to spill from her. No, she had to hold it together. She wasn't going to cry.

The smell of warm tea brought her out of her spinning thoughts. A porcelain cup of lavender tea was hovering before her.

"Here." Said Yami, gently placing the cup into Yuugi's hands. "Drink. It will help."

Slowly, Yuugi brought the drink to her lips, letting the liquid and smell sooth her nerves. It miraculously helped and she could finally pay attention to where she was.

Yuugi was sitting on the couch, her body wrapped in a blanket – though she had no idea how it got there. Yami was sitting on the adjacent armchair, wearing a shirt and pants. He must have gone to change when Yuugi wasn't paying attention. He was watching her with an anxious expression, eyebrows drawn down in worry.

"Feel better?" he asked.

Yuugi nodded.

"It's alright to let it all out you know. You did just turn into a woman. No one would blame you if you freaked for a bit."

A mixture of emotions flickered through Yuugi, eventually fear overwhelming the other ones. She started shaking again, the cup rattling in her hands.

"What's going to happen to me?" Yuugi whispered. "I can't live like this. I'm not a girl. I'm a guy. Why is this happening?... What am I going to do?"

Yuugi's voice cracked, her throat closing and refusing to let her speak. She sniffed loudly, trying to stop the tears that slid down her cheek.

Yami's expression looked pained. It only lasted for a moment, however, before he quickly replaced by it with a smirk.

"The first thing you're going to do is sleep." He said confidently. "You obviously need to rest."

"But what about school?" said Yuugi. Her mind was in such disarray that she held onto the things that were familiar, like a school schedule, despite how far down on the list of his priorities it should be at the moment.

"You're skipping." Said Yami firmly, "This definitely counts as a valid excuse for missing the marathon." Yami stood up, taking the now empty tea cup from Yuugi's hand. He gently brushed away the tears from her cheek before nudging on Yuugi's shoulders, who laid down on the couch without protest.

"Sleep." Said Yami softly. "Your mind and body need to recuperate from the shock."

So Yuugi did just that, letting his eyes flutter shut and falling asleep almost instantly.

* * *

The next time Yuugi woke it was to a calm silence. It wasn't the eerie kind, but instead the nice type where you felt warm and comfortable, the soft noises soothing rather than threatening. The ticking of the clock, the hum of the dishwasher and the sound of paper scraping against each other as if a page was being turned.

Yuugi opened her eyes, blinking a few times before sitting up. She was still laying on the couch and wearing Yami's t-shirt. Said teen was in the armchair again, a pile of books and papers on the coffee table.

"You're awake." He said, smiling at her. "How are you feeling?"

Yuugi glanced down at herself, pressing a hand against her chest to double check if it had been a nightmare. Nope, she was definitely still a girl.

"Crap." She muttered. "Those are still there." She threw the covers over her head, burring herself in their depths. "Wake me when the apocalypse comes."

She heard Yami chuckle.

"You're going to have to come out of there eventually." He said. "Even Gramps won't let you skip school because of this."

Yuugi scrunched her brows in thought, then sat up quickly, tossing the covers aside.

"What are you doing here!" she said quickly. "Why aren't you at school?"

Yami raised an eyebrow at her.

"Seriously?" he said. "You think I'm going to school and leave you here alone after you've just emerged. You know I'm a better friend than that."

"But what about your perfect record?" said Yuugi, horrified. Yami had made a deal with his parents that if he kept a perfect attendance for a year, they'd let him move out into one of the school dorms. Yami was only three months away from the promised date.

Yami shrugged, "It's not like they would have kept their part of the bargain anyway."

"What time is it?" said Yuugi, glancing at the clock. It was just past eleven. "If you go now maybe they won't count it as an absence."

"I'm not going to school." Said Yami

"But-"

"No buts Yuugi." Said Yami, using that tone that said he wasn't going to budge. "I'll move out of my parent's place eventually, but you've just emerged. This is a much bigger deal than my perfect record at school."

Yuugi lowered her head. "I'm sorry." She muttered, feeling horrible. It was her fault that Yami wasn't going to be able to move out. Even if it wasn't her fault that she emerged, the fact remained that she hadn't been able to handle herself and Yami had been forced to stay and help.

A hand pressed on her head, giving her hair a gentle ruffle. She glanced up and saw Yami smiling at her kindly.

"That's always been one of your strong points Yuugi." He said warmly. "Always thinking about others no matter the circumstances. Let me repay you for the kindness you've always shown me and do this for you. I'm not going anywhere."

Yuugi pouted, upset that he had managed to make her feel less guilty so easily. He had always had a smooth tongue, inflating her ego with kind words. Who knew if he meant half of them, but they always made Yuugi feel better.

"Right then." Said Yami suddenly, standing up. "You woke up at just the right time. You need to go get ready."

"Ready for what?" said Yuugi, confused.

Yami pulled out his phone, evidently looking at the planner he had in it. "I've set an appointment with an emergence adviser today"

"You did what?" said Yuugi, baffled.

"I did it while you were asleep." He said, scrolling through his phone. "I've also been doing some research on emerging in your teens. I think I've found some sites that will help you through this. Oh, and I also called the school to let them know where we were."

Yuugi's shook her head, a light chuckle bubbling inside her chest. You could always trust Yami to keep a level head in any situation.

"Now come on slow poke, you've only got thirty minutes to get ready." Said Yami, pulling the blankets off of Yuugi like he had done so many times before. "Up!"

"Just five more minutes!" Yuugi grinned.

After their usual game of tug of war with the covers, Yuugi clambered upstairs and locked herself inside the bathroom. The smile on her face slowly died however now that she was alone without Yami's usual banter to keep her optimistic. It was nice that at least one thing were still the same, even if it was just something as simple as her and Yami's relationship. It was something that she had immediately worried about. Now that Yuugi had changed, their relationship wasn't going to change would it? Would Yami still have her back?

Judging by their interactions, yes, it looked like Yuugi could count on at least one person to not shun her because she had emerged.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **So Yuugi and Yami's relationship will stay the same eh? Phhttt. Poor naive Yuugi.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

One wardrobe crisis, a hearty lunch and fifty minutes later, Yami and Yuugi were sitting inside a small office. It was a pleasant despite its size, the couches warm and inviting, obviously meant to keep its occupants as comfortable as possible.

In the chair opposite them sat a very voluptuous woman. If Yuugi was still a guy she probably would have blushed at the sheer amount of cleavage the woman was showing...

... oh heck, who was she kidding! She was still a guy on the inside and her whole face was a deep crimson. How Yami managed to look at her with a straight face was something Yuugi couldn't comprehend.

"That, sweetheart." Said the woman, folding her arms under her breasts. "Is one of the first things you're going to have to get used to. You've got a pair of your own. Go stare at yourself for a few hours until the novelty wears off. Otherwise you're just going to creep out all the other girls when you're in the locker room."

Yuugi's face, if possible, turned even redder at the idea.

"A-are you sure this is the counselor we signed up for?" Yuugi said, leaning over to talk to Yami. "She seems a little…"

"Blunt?" offered the woman. "Wonderful? Absolutely gorgeous?"

"…unprofessional." Finished Yuugi with a frown.

The corner of Yami's mouth twitched.

"No, this is exactly who we wanted to see." Said Yami, nodding towards the woman. "Mai here emerged as a woman when she was a 16 and knows exactly what you're going through. She's one of the most recommended councilors for people who emerged are our age. Despite her forwardness, I think she's what you need."

"I see you've done your research one me." Said Mai with a wink towards Yami.

Yuugi couldn't help being surprised at the information.

"You were born a guy?" said Yuugi. "Then how come you got such huge knockers while I didn't?"

Mai shrugged. "Same reason as other girls I guess. Genetics have something to do with it, but that's not the point." She pointed at Yami. "I was supposed to see Yuugi and his guardian, and while you look like you might be related, you are defiantly not old enough to be his guardian. So who are you?"

"Yuugi's only relative is out of the country right now." Said Yami, folding his arms defensively. "I'm here to support him."

"Hmm." Mai glanced between the two, then she broke into a grin. "Oh I get it. He's your boyfriend, or at least he was before he turned into a girl."

Yuugi couldn't help it. She face-palmed from the sheer stupidity of the statement.

She didn't see Yami's reaction, but heard him say: "Yes, she was a guy, and yes we are friends. But no, we are not dating if that is what you were implying."

Mai put a hand to her lips, looking shocked. "Oh, sorry about that. I guess I assumed too quickly." She gave a weak laugh as she regained her composure. "As I was saying, the things we will be going over are sensitive items Yami. While I admire your loyalty, Yuugi might not feel comfortable with you in the room."

Yami hesitated, examining Yuugi from the corner of his eye. "Would you feel more comfortable if I was outside?" he asked.

"I'm not sure." Said Yuugi honestly. "I'd feel better with you here, but depending on the topics it might be weird for you. I wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable."

Mai let out a loud cough that sounded a lot more like a covered up snort. She hid a guilty smile behind her hand when the two teens turned to look at her.

"Sorry loves." She said with that smile. "It's just, man you two are so sweet. What a lovely bromance you guys probably had going on there."

Yuugi opened her mouth to say something but Mai cut her off with a wave of her hand.

"From my experience it would be better if he stayed outside." She said. "Like I said, there is a lot of sensitive information I'm going to be giving you. Most of it is female stuff he has no business knowing." She pointed at Yami. "So unless you are hell bent on keeping him here I want him out."

"If that's what you think is best." Said Yami, getting to his feet. He paused by Yuugi as he passed, resting a hand on her shoulder. "I'll be right outside if you need me." Then he left, closing the door behind him.

Yuugi noticed Mai watching him leave, a puzzled look on her face. "Hmm." She muttered. "That's going to be a big mess."

"What do you mean?" said Yuugi, curious. In truth, he felt uncomfortable with just Mai in the room. The lady had an intimidating nature. Mai was gorgeous, forceful and tall, a deadly combination when It came to Yuugi's nerves.

"Just observing something." Said Mai with a sign. She leaned on the desk with an elbow, flipping thought some papers on the desk. "Right. So actually the first thing we need to do is a physical. We need to make sure your body fully emerged and don't stop half way or anything. Just to be sure."

Yuugi followed Mai into an adjoining hallway that lead into a medical examination room. Once there, Yuugi met the doctor. Twenty minutes later, and after some very awkward moments, Yuugi was back to sitting on the couch, head between her knees as she tried to collapse within herself from her embarrassment. Mai was behind her desk, flipping through the papers she had just got back from the doctor.

"If I hadn't already known you were a virgin, your reaction definitely would have given you away." Said Mai, smiling down at Yuugi. "You've obviously never known a woman in your life."

Yuugi's head snapped up. "How did you know I'm a virgin?" she said. In response, Mai held up the medical reports. "Oh… right."

Mai sighed, standing up from behind her desk and taking the seat beside Yuugi.

"So here's the deal." Said Mai, leaning in towards Yuugi. "There's a bunch of crap I'm supposed to follow to help ease you into this situation, but I've found that sometimes it's best to start with what you want to know. What sort of things are on your mind? What are your worries?"

Yuugi couldn't look at her. She kept her eyes on the ground, her hands balled up into fists as she glared at the floor.

"I'm just…" she started, but found she couldn't continue. It was so hard to know where to start. Things were happening so fast. She had been a boy less than 12 hours ago, and now her whole life had been flipped upside down.

"…completely overwhelmed." Mai breathed.

Yuugi raised her head. Mai was looking at her with a soft expression, one that told Yuugi she knew what he was going through. That she knew what was happening and she could relate.

"Look" said Mai, her voice a touch kinder "Here's the deal. It's going to be hard. Anyone that says otherwise is a big fat liar, but it's not the end of the world. You're going to have to rediscover who you are and what that means. You know that self-esteem and identity crap you went through for the past few years as an angsty teen? Well, you're going to have to go through it again, except now as a woman."

"There are some things that we can do to help you make it easier. We can transfer you to another school, or help your family move to another town..."

"No!" said Yuugi immediately. She dreaded the thought of going to school and having everyone see her like this, but the thought of leaving them hurt even more. She loved it here. Domino was her home. "I'm not going to leave."

Mai smiled at her. "Not running away, that's good. I knew you were a fighter." She made a note on the clip board on her lap. "Right, so here is my last piece of advice before we start talking girl." Mai gestured at the door, and Yuugi knew she was indicating towards Yami. "Everyone is going to react differently to your emergence. Some will be angry; others will ignore you, but here's a tip to remember: Just as it's taking time for you to adjust, it will take time for them to adjust as well. Be forgiving of their stupidity."

Yuugi couldn't help grinning as she said. "I think I can handle that." Stupidity was something she was familiar with after all.

* * *

Yuugi walked out of the councilors office a few hours later, not sure if she felt better or worse. Who knew that there were so many differences between the way women and men lived?

"If you have any questions feel free to email or call." Said Mai, shaking Yuugi's hand.

"I will." Said Yuugi, a genuine smile on her face. "And thank you for all your help." She had warmed up considerably to Mai after a few hours with her. She could appreciate her honesty and liked that Mai treated her like a person rather than the freak she still felt like.

Mai gave a wink before walking back into her office.

Yuugi noticed Yami sitting in one of the lobby chairs, the back of his head turned towards Yuugi. As she approached, his head turned and he stood to greet her.

"How was it?" said Yami, putting his phone in his pocket.

"Exhausting." Said Yuugi honestly, holding up a stack of pamphlets. "She gave me these to look over when I got home. There's a bunch of basic information and such about what to expect. Oh, and she said that you should stop looking through blogs of people that emerged. Something about getting misleading information on social media."

Yami shrugged. "Makes sense. I was actually going to ask her about that."

"What did you do the whole time anyway?" said Yuugi. "I hope you weren't bored out of your mind."

"I had my phone with me." Said Yami, gesturing to his pocket. "I've got the whole world of the internet at my disposal. Those cat videos can entertain me for hours."

"The sad thing is that I can't tell if your serious or not."

"Of course I'm serious." Said Yami with a deadpan face. "That video of the stalking cat makes me laugh every time."

A weak smile tugged on her lips, before melting away.

"Yami?" she said, licking her lips. "I don't want to take up anymore of your time or anything… it's just that. Well…"

Yami took the stack of pamphlets from Yuugi. "Let's get you home Yuugi." He said, already walking out the door. "We can order out and spend the whole night playing games. I've already called home to let them know where I'll be tonight."

Smiling, Yuugi hurried to catch up with Yami as they made their way home. She could always trust Yami to know when she didn't want to be alone.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **If I write Yuugi as 'he' instead of 'she', I'm sorry. Because Yuugi is still a guy on the inside, I'm thinking like a guy to get inside his/her head and the terms come out without me realizing. D=**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for reading! And for all the reviews! XD**

* * *

Chapter 4

 _"_ _...male to female ratio has become unbalanced. To correct this, some men experience a sex change. This phenomenon is similar to where a clown fish may change genders and is commonly called "emergence." Thousands of males go through this changing process each year. While usually seen in younger boys, there are rare cases where it occurs in the teen years."_

Yuugi grimaced, tossing the pamphlet aside. Ever since waking up she'd been skimming through the information Mai had given her. Some of it talked about how to live as a woman while some of it also talked about how to cope with changing her gender.

"Wow, we made a huge mess."

Yuugi looked up and noticed Yami, yawning as he walked into the living room. The floor was littered with pizza boxes, soda cans and token pieces from various games. Yami waded through the pile of trash, bending down and picking something out of it.

"At least I found my calculus book." Said Yami, dusting some Cheetos off of it. "I rather not have to waste my money on buying school books."

Yuugi could help but smile. "Yeah, we've got university to look forward to that."

Despite the mess, Yuugi's heart felt light considering her situation. Yes, she was still a girl, and yes it still sucked, but yesterday had been an amazing escape from reality. Yami had stayed over again and they had ordered pizza, popped popcorn and pulled out every video and board game Yuugi owned. Considering that her grandpa owned a game store, that number was considerably high.

They had spent the whole time eating and playing games, staying up well into the early hours of the day until they had fallen asleep from exhaustion, Yuugi on the couch with Yami on the floor. It was a good thing it was the weekend or else Yuugi would have felt even worse for making Yami miss another day of school. Everything had felt so normal, so much the same that Yuugi kept forgetting she was now a girl. It had been exactly what Yuugi needed for the end of the stressful day.

That being said, it was now time to face the music, which included cleaning up after last night's activities.

Yami had grabbed a trash bag from the kitchen and was throwing pizza boxes and candy wrappers into it. Yuugi concentrated on cleaning up most of the games. About ten minutes into it, her stomach started growling.

"Let's have breakfast first." Said Yuugi, setting down monopoly. "What do you want?"

"French toast." Said Yami immediately.

"I wonder why I even ask anymore." Laughed Yuugi with a shake of her head. She walked into the kitchen and pulled open the fridge only to notice that that they were out of milk.

"No French toast for you Yami." Called Yuugi. "There's no milk."

"Like that's stopped me before." Said Yami, appearing in the kitchen. He gave Yuugi a nudge. "I'll go get us some. Don't get lost in all the games and garbage."

Yuugi stuck out her tongue.

The front door closed as Yami left to go to a nearby store. Yuugi grabbed a banana and started munching on it as she kept cleaning. She wasn't the cleanest person in the planet, but even she couldn't stand it when the places looked this bad.

A few minutes into her cleaning she heard a knock on the door.

Wondering if Yami had locked himself out again, Yuugi set down the trash bag and made her way to the door. She was about to cross in front of its line of site when she heard it open and two voices that were definitely not Yami.

"Yugi, you in there? We're comin' in."

 _Oh hell._

Yugi almost fell over in her haste to turn around. She booked it to her room, closing the door behind her and breathing hard. Her heart was thumping a million miles per hour in her chest.

Not yet. Not like this when she wasn't ready. She was in no way mentally prepared for anyone else to meet her as a girl.

She prayed to every spirit and deity she could think of that her friends thought she was gone.

 _Please, let them leave and let this not happen right now._

"Yugi? Are you sleeping?"

 _They're coming upstairs!_ She thought, and she panicking now. She looked around the room, groaning as she realized that she couldn't hide under the covers. Her and Yami had pulled them off and they were still laying in the messy living room. She hurried back and forth, looking for anything, _anywhere_ she could hide.

Her eyes fell on her last hope.

The doorknob to the room turned.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Yuugi. There you are." Said a voice as two people entered the room. "Do you realize your downstairs is completely trashed?"

Yuugi kept her back to the door, zipping the hoodie up to her neck and tightening the drawstrings. Once she was sure the hood was securely covering her hair, she turned slowly to meet her two friends.

"Hey Jou, Honda." Said Yuugi, forcing herself to smile at them. "What's up?"

The tall blonde snorted. "What's up he says." Said Jounouchi, gesturing at Yuugi. "Aren't you supposed to be sick?"

Yuugi gave a weak smile. "I'm feeling better now. Did you guys come to visit me?"

"Yup." Said Honda, holding up some papers. "And to give you and Yami your homework. We figured he was with you since you both skipped on the same day. Where is he anyway?"

Yuugi didn't even bother commenting on how they just assumed Yami was with her. Her heart was still beating too fast for her to concentrate properly. It looked like she had properly fooled them. Hopefully they wouldn't realize that she was now a _she._ As long as she kept her hood up and didn't show her longer hair she should be fine. Her face hadn't changed _that_ much.

"He just went to go get some milk." Said Yuugi quickly.

Honda pulled a face.

"Are sure you're feeling better Yuugi? Your voice sounds a little weird."

 _Or maybe they would notice…_

"Y-yea." Said Yuugi, giving a deliberate fake cough. "I'm still a little sick and contagious. It would probably be better for you not to come near me so you don't catch my cold."

"Huh."

There was a short pause. Jounouchi and Honda were both giving Yuugi a strange look.

"Yuugi, what's up with the hood?" said Honda.

The smile on Yuugi's face twitched as she scratched the side of her face nervously. "I-it's just a little cold and umm... I felt like wearing it."

Jounouchi raised an eyebrow and Yuugi swallowed nervously. Jounouchi and Honda weren't the most perceptive people in the world, but they also happened to be some of Yuugi's best friends. If they didn't notice she was acting strange, then there was less hope for them than even what Kaiba kept insisting.

The only question was if they were going to leave it alone or not.

"Ohhh. I get it." Said Jounouchi, eyes lighting up. "You're trying to hide something aren't you? You weren't really sick yesterday were you?"

Yuugi didn't say anything, not trusting herself to speak.

Honda on the other hand, looked confused.

"What do you mean Jou?" said Honda, but Jounouchi let out a lout whoop, making the other two jump.

"I can't believe Yami finally convinced you to go clubbing with him." Said Jounouchi, his grin as wide as his face. "Did you guys party so hard it took a day to rest up. Or perhaps was that mess from the two girls you guys brought home?"

"Jounouchi!" shouted Yuugi, face turning red as her friend puffed out his chest in pride, as if _he_ was the one that had gone clubbing. "Where did you even get that idea from?"

"That hood." Said Jounouchi, gesturing to the clothing. "It's to cover up all the love bites isn't it? Who knew Yuugi could be so naughty?"

That did it. Yuugi was definitely done. She picked up the nearest thing she could find – which happened to be a toy lightsaber – and started brandishing it threateningly at Jounouchi. "If you two don't get out of my room this instant!-"

"Come one Honda." Said Jounouchi, nudging the brunette in the ribs. "let's go downstairs and see if we can find any incriminating evidence on Yuugi and Yami."

With a whoop, the two clambered very nosily down the stairs, taunting Yuugi the whole way down.

Yuugi wanted to run her hands through her hair in exasperation. She was about to just leave them to look for the nonexistent _'incriminating evidence'_ when she realized that it did exist. The pamphlet Mai had given her on emergence was still downstairs… and it had her name plastered on the front of it.

Throwing aside the lightsaber, Yuugi sprinted down stairs, hollering at her friends to not touch anything. That, of course, just encouraged them further.

She barreled into the room, quickly scanning the room for the pamphlets. Jounouchi and Honda hadn't gotten very far and had barely started digging through the mess, encouraged by Yuugi's attitude that they would find something. She spotted the pamphlets on the coffee table and dived for them. Jounouchi saw her move and followed after her.

The second after Yuugi curled her fingers around the pamphlets, she felt Jou hit her in a hard tackle. The two of them fell, Yuugi clutching the now partially crumpled paper in the hands.

"What'd you got there Yuug'?" said Jounouchi, the smugness evident in his voice. "Let's have a look at it."

"Get off!" said Yuugi, struggling to get out of his grip. Jounouchi was still partially on top of her, trying to turn her around and see what she had in her hands.

It was then that Yuugi did something very stupid. Something that wouldn't have mattered had she still been a boy, but as a girl should never had been attempted.

She stuffed the pamphlets down the front of her shirt.

"Honda, come help me!" said Jounouchi, still holding Yuugi. "Sorry Yuugi, but there's no way we are letting this one go."

Sudden terror flooded through Yuugi as she realized what she'd just done, but it was too late to change anything. Jounouchi had a hold of her arms while Honda approached. She struggled, a new type of panic setting in.

No, this was not the way she wanted to be found out!

Honda took hold of her shirt, hand reaching inside-

The next second, Honda was flying across the room. There was a loud yell, and the pressure on Yuugi's arms from Jounouchi's hold disappeared. Yuugi was spun around until her face was pressed into a familiar back, a low angry growl reaching her ears. It sent shivers up her spine. She's only heard it a few times, and every time she heard it, she feared for the life of those it was directed at.

"What do you two think you're doing?" a deep voice said.

Yami was pissed!

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! Lets hope Yami doesn't kill those two. XD**


	6. Chapter 6

**Happy Thanksgiving!**

* * *

Chapter 6

"What the hell!" yelled Jounouchi, rubbing the side of his face while getting to his feet. He strode over to Yami, grabbing a fist full of Yami's jacket and shoving his face in front of Yami's "What was the punch for yah jerk?"

"Whoa you two, chill out." Said Honda, who was currently getting to his feet, hands held out in front of his as if to calm two wild animals. "There's no need to get violent. We were just messing Yami."

Honda flinched when Yami's glare was directed towards him.

"Just messing?" hissed Yami, hands balling into fists. "How was that _just messing_?"

"Calm down. Both of you" Said Yuugi, realizing Yami was just one wrong word away from putting the other two into the hospital. She stepped between Yami and Jounouchi, placing a hand on both their chests and pushing back. "It's not their fault Yami. They don't know."

"The heck are you taking about Yuugi?" said Jounouchi, removing his glare from Yami to glance in Yuugi's direction. He did a double take, turning back to stare at Yuugi. She heard an exclamation from Honda a second later. They were looking at her in confusion. Then Yuugi realized what they were looking at.

During the tussle, her hood had come off, revealing her long hair.

Yuugi froze, unease settling into her stomach. Honda tilted his head at Yuugi in confusion.

"Did you get hair extensions Yuugi?" he said, frowning. "Cause your hair definitely wasn't that long yesterday."

"Nah, that's not it." Said Jounouchi. He finally let go of Yami's collar, steeping closer to Yuugi, eyes narrowing as he looked her up and down. Yuugi was frozen, stiff from fear. Then Yami placed a hand on her shoulder, pulling her back from Jounouchi. She felt him squeeze it in comfort, his glare still on Jounouchi.

"Yuugi." Gasped Jounouchi. His mouth fell open and from the little of Jounouchi Yuugi could see, he was putting two and two together. "Please tell me this is a joke." He whispered.

Yuugi's heart sank. That was not the answer she wanted to hear.

"A joke?" said Yami, voice entering the dangerous state again. "Is that really your reaction to all this? Do you think this is a joke?"

"Whoh man, again with the chilling." Said Jou, holding up his hands. "There's no need to be like dat."

"You want me to chill?" said Yami, a ripple of new anger visible. His control apparently broke as he yelled: "I left Yuugi for ten minuets, who just emerged yesterday, and come back to find you restraining Yuugi while Honda has a hand down her shirt! How the hell do you expect me to be calm about this!?"

"How were we suppose to know!?" shouted Jounouchi

"-and then you have the nerve to ask if she is joking!"

"It's not our fault! You two should have told us Yuugi emerged!"

"Everyone, SHUT UP!"

Yuugi's high voice somehow managed to drown out the argument, sending them into a tense silence. Yami and Jounouchi were still glaring at each other, while Honda still looked shell shocked.

"Yami," said Yuugi pointing a finger at his friend. "You will stop biting everyone's heads off because they didn't know. And Jou-"- she moved her accusing finger to point at the blonde "–you will calm, or so help me, I will never give you early releases of games again!"

It was miraculous that the last argument managed to shut Jounouchi's mouth, but the threat did its job.

"There's no need to be so harsh about it." Muttered Jounouchi

"And Honda." Said Yuugi, turning to the brunet, but he paused when he noticed Honda's expression. "…are you alright?"

Everyone turned to look at Honda, whose face was slowly turning blue.

"Honda, what's wrong?" asked Jounouchi.

"…shirt.." muttered Honda. "I just had my hand down a girl's shirt…"

Yuugi's heart dropped. Honda had an extreme fear of girls. It usually wasn't that bad as long as he didn't come in direct contact with them. Yet here he was having just put his hand down one's shirt…

"It's just me Honda." Said Yuugi, stepping forward. She managed to not flinch when she saw Honda do so. "It's Yuugi. I'm still the same person."

"Yeah, except you're not." Said Juonouchi, the accusation in his tone unmistakable. That hurt Yuugi more than anything so far, and she reacted with anger.

"You think I wanted this?" said Yuugi, teeth clenched. "You think I wanted to turn into a girl over night?"

"You could have told us." Spat Jounouchi. "We're your friends Yuugi, but it looks like you've forgotten that since emerging."

"I... just needed some time for myself." Said Yuugi defensively. "It's been a lot to swallow all at once."

"And Yami doesn't count as a person?" said Jounouchi, gesturing at Yami who was still glaring at him. "I see you've been having plenty of _alone_ time."

"That's not fair." Said Yuugi. "He was here when I emerged and was immediately dragged into it. He-"

"And just when did you plan on letting us know? When you came to school? Or maybe you planned on pretending to be a boy for the rest of your life, never letting the rest of us know? Friends don't keep secrets like-"

"Katsuya." Said Yami, voice low. "That's enough."

Jounouchi stopped his rant, looking between the two of them before ruffling his hair in anger.

"Let's go Honda." Said Jounouchi, grabbing the brunet's arm and dragging him towards the door. "Let's leave Yuugi to his _alone_ time."

The front door slammed shut, a torrent of curses coming from just outside.

"That couldn't have gone any worse." Said Yuugi, closing her eyes for moment. "I swear, I might punch Jou's face the next time I see him."

"Not if I get to him first." Said Yami, eyeing her. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just peachy." Said Yuugi trying to keep the bitterness from her voice. She pulled the troublesome pamphlets from her shirt, placing them back on the table. As she did so, the words from Mai came back to her head.

 _"_ _Everyone is going to react differently to your emergence. Some will be angry; others will ignore you. Here's a tip to remember. Just as it's taking you time to adjust, it will take time for them to adjust as well. Be forgiving in their stupidity."_

Stupidity. Right.

It looked like this was going to be a little harder than she had originally thought.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **Special thanks to AnimaniAshley, devilface1034, unnamed guests, Miqu, vir, and k for their words of encouragement! I'm glad you guys are enjoying the story so far.  
**

 **-King of Doors**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks for reading!**

Chapter 7

Yuugi's finger hovered above the call button, unable to bring herself to press it. Anzu Mazaki's name shone on the screen, a picture of her doing a peace sign taunting her courage.

It was no big deal. She was just going to call Anzu and tell her what happened to her. Then she was going to ask for her help with girl stuff. Yeah, there was nothing to it. It wasn't like she was embarrassed out of her mind asking her crush things like what type of underwear she should buy.

Yuugi let out a breath of frustration. For the thousandth time she wished Yami were here. She had forced him to go home yesterday, telling him she would be just fine on her own. It was Sunday now, and he had kept in contact with the occasional txt to make sure she was alright, but it wasn't the same as his physical presence here. She refused to call him back however, her conscious feeling guilty for taking up so much of her friend's weekend and breaking his perfect record at school. She shouldn't take advantage of Yami's kindness any further.

So, clenching her teeth, Yuugi pressed on the call button.

It rang a few times, then it clicked.

 _"_ _Yuugi!"_ said Anzu's voice through the speaker. _"I'm so glad you called me. How are you doing? Are you alright?"_

"A-Anzu, hi." Said Yuugi, surprised by her enthusiasm. "Yes I'm doing fine. Why, what's wrong?"

There was a pause.

Understand came to Yuugi.

"Did Jou tell you?" said Yuugi.

 _"_ _Yes."_

That jerk. He had no right-

 _"_ _I'm sorry."_ Said Anzu quickly over the phone. _"Please don't be mad at me for finding out before you told me."_

"I'm not mad at you." Said Yuugi, rubbing her temples. "I'm mad at Jou for blabbing to everyone what's happened."

 _"_ _As far as I know, he's only told me."_ Said Anzu. " _He was upset when he came into burger world yesterday and needed someone to rant to. He ended up telling me the whole thing. I don't think he's told anyone else..."_

Yuugi made a non-committal sound in her throat, thinking about Jou's reaction. Her friend had been more upset then Yuugi had seen in a long time.

 _"_ _Please don't be mad at him Yuugi."_ Came Anzu's voice _"I think he was just shocked and hurt that you told Yami before you told him."_

"I didn't _tell_ Yami, he was there when it happened." Said Yuugi. "And I know. That wasn't how I wanted him to find out at all. I was going to tell him but…"

 _"_ _Things just got out of hand didn't they?"_

Yuugi chuckled. "Yeah. Very quickly."

 _"_ _Just give him some time. He'll cool off soon enough."_

"I know." Said Yuugi. Jounouchi was the type of person that reacted first and thought later. His surprise coupled with hurt at not being told had hit him hard. Jou's defense mechanism was to lash out, and lash out he did. Hopefully by Monday Jou would have calmed down enough for Yuugi to be able to talk to him without wanting to pull her hair out.

"By the way Anzu." Said Yuugi. "So you're ok with... what happened to me?"

 _"_ _It's not a matter of being ok with it."_ Said Anzu kindly. _"It's something that happened to you Yuugi, weather you wanted it to or not. It doesn't change my opinion of you, nor does it change the fact that I'm your friend and I'm here for you."_

Her heart soared. Thank goodness for Anzu's kind understanding nature.

"I wish everyone was as patient as you." Said Yuugi. "I'm not sure if Honda is going to be able to look at me in the eye for months."

 _"_ _Why? What happened with Honda?"_

"I'll tell you later." Said Yuugi. Obviously Jou had left out Honda's reaction to the whole thing. "Anyway, I was calling because I had a question for you. I need your help"

 _"_ _With what?"_

Yuugi took a large breath.

"Shopping for clothes."

* * *

"This one is no good either." Said Anzu, tossing aside a button down shirt. "You look too much like a boy in it. While the tomboy look works on some girls, your style isn't that. I think punk has always been more your style. Ohhh we have to get you a good mini skirt."

"Anzu." Interrupted Yuugi. "For the last time, I'm not going to buy a skirt!"

"But you'd look so good in it!"

The two of them were in Yuugi's bedroom, most of Yuugi's wardrobe strewn across the floor. He was embarrassed to have his entire wardrobe gone through by Anzu, but she had insisted that they didn't need to get a whole new set of clothes for Yuugi. They just had to go through what she had, toss out what wasn't considered unisex and make note of what they did have to buy.

Yuugi had asked Mai what she should do about clothes and Mai had told Yuugi to ask a good female friend to help out. The female she was closest to - and honestly the only one she felt comfortable making such a request to - was Anzu, hence why she was here today.

"And we'll have to get you a new set of bra's" said Anzu, making a note on her considerable list. "That trainer Mai got you just won't do."

Yuugi blushed, subconsciously pulled on the band around her ribs. She still wasn't used to the sensation of having something pressed against her chest constantly. How did girls live with it? Just the band alone drove her nuts, while the straps just kept slipping off her shoulders. The things were way uncomfortable.

"Am I supposed to wear it even when I sleep?" asked Yuugi, not sure what was considered normal for girls.

"You can if you want to." Said Anzu, sitting on Yuugi's bed, her legs swinging back and forth. "But it can wear down the integrity of the bra much faster. Plus, there's a belief that doing so will cause your breasts to sag in the future."

"Again with the TMI." Said Yuugi, shaking her head. "Why do I feel like I just became your new Barbie doll?"

Anzu sent her a large grin that confirmed her fears.

They spent half of the day going through Yuugi's clothes and the other half shopping for what they needed. Yuugi didn't have a lot of allowance money so Anzu showed her all of the nearby thrift stores. It hadn't been half bad, being able to spend the whole day with Anzu, even if the subject of what they were doing was highly embarrassing for Yuugi. She was sure her face was going to melt off when they went to the lingerie section for bra's and underwear.

Once she got over that part, Yuugi had fun. Anzu even ended up convincing her to buy one mini skirt, though it was more that Yuugi couldn't resist making Anzu happy when she had begged her to buy it. _"It just looked like it was made for you!"_

"I think that's enough for now." Said Anzu as they sat at a table in the food market.

"Good." Said Yuugi, her face planted into the table. "If I have to try on another piece of clothing then I'm going to scream."

Anzu chuckled. "Come on, it wasn't that bad. We didn't even go looking for accessories, shoes, or even makeup."

Yuugi's head shot up, horrified. "How much stuff do girls own?"

"More than some boys realize." Said Anzu. "Don't worry. I think that's a little advanced for where you are right now. We can tackle those things when you start to find an interest in them."

Yuugi gave a muffled response, her head already back to resting on the table.

A male voice brought Yuugi from her spiral of self-pity.

"Hi there. Looks like you two had a fun day of shopping."

Yuugi slowly raised her head, frowning at the two boys that stood beside their table. One had a lopsided cheeky grin, dark bangs fanning out on his face while part of it was pulled into a low ponytail. The other one had Blue and yellow in his hair, part of it sticking up in the back. The second one kept casting strange glances in Yuugi's direction. He almost appeared anxious.

Yuugi had never seen either of them before. Did Anzu know them?

"Yup, we were just redoing her wardrobe." Said Anzu, nodding towards Yuugi. "Can I help you?"

Nope. Anzu used that tone with strangers. She definitely didn't know them.

"Yes, my name is Torus, and this here is Len." Said the dark haired one, gesturing to the other. "My friend here thinks yours is cute. We were wondering if you two would like to go get a drink or something with us."

Yuugi scrunched her face in confusion, sharing a glance with Anzu. Did that boy just say that Yuugi was cute? What, was he into guys or something… except that Yuugi was girl. Right.

"You're hitting on us!" Yuugi blurted out, her composure flying out the window at the sheer incredulity of the situation. Anzu getting hit on, sure, Yuugi had seen it before, but Yuugi? Since when did that happen? Never once in her life had she ever been hit on.

The two were now staring at her, Torus with a cocked eyebrow and Len with embarrassment.

Anzu, who looked mildly amused, placed a hand on Yuugi to set her back down. She didn't even remember standing up.

"Thanks, but now wouldn't be a good time." Said Anzu. "We've got a schedule to follow."

"Maybe another time then?" said Torus, obviously not deterred. "Can we get your names and numbers at least?"

Anzu hesitated. "I'm Anzu, and this is my friend." Said Anzu nodding towards Yuugi. "Sorry, but we really need to go."

Catching on, Yuugi stood up with Anzu and grabbed their many bags. They gave a polite goodbye and set off.

"Well that was weird." Said Yuugi as they passed the stores.

"Yes, but not unexpected." Said Anzu with a small smile.

"Not unexpected? How do you mean?"

"Oh come on Yuugi," said Anzu, shaking her head at her. "Do you not realize how much cuter you look since becoming a girl?"

"Just how in the world am I considered cute?" said Yuugi. Sure, she had always had a baby face - which prevented him from ever aspiring to fit in the handsome category - but to be considered cute as a girl?

Yuugi glanced down at what she was wearing. It was a simple black tank top with a pair of jeans. She accessorized with her normal neck belt and a thick watch. They were all from when she was a guy. Compared to Anzu, who wore a yellow mini skirt, shirt and jacket with many thin bracelets on her wrist, Yuugi was majorly underdressed.

"Surely you've noticed you've got a baby face." said Anzu, voicing part of his thoughts. "Plus, you've always had those huge bright eyes that scream cute. That, coupled with your short stature, which now fits the gender stereotype, makes you the complete package of cute!"

"Cute? Huh." Yuugi glances in one of the mall windows, watching as her reflection walked along side Anzu. She tried to see what Anzu was talking about, but just couldn't see past her identity as a guy.

"I can't tell if I'm flattered or insulted." Said Yuugi, frowning.

Anzu gave a laugh. "I think ego is pretty gender neutral. You just got hit on Yuugi! Boy or girl, that's got to feel good."

And Yuugi did have to admit, when she thought about it like that, it did feel pretty good.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **Guest: "So is Yami going straight for Yugi?" He's definitely protective of her. But weather he is going to actively pursue her soon, I'm not sure. Only time will tell. :D**

 ***Torus and Len are made up characters. XD**

 **-King of Doors**


	8. Chapter 8

**Lazu: ROFL. I just got the previous review thanks to you. I thought when the unnamed Guest said "Going straight for Yuugi" meant he was going 'directionally straight' for Yuugi, as in going to start hitting on her immediately. I just now realized they were asking if Yami was changing his sexuality from gay to straight for Yuugi. My answer is this: We will have to see. (I know, not helpful).**

 **And btw, you are skipping ahead! All questions in regards to characters' sexuality, gender roles, etc will be answered in the future. Don't know when though, cause the direction of this story changes daily. XD**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 8

"And then Anzu came up to us, holding up some underwear and saying that I might like it." said Yuugi, shifting the phone so that it wouldn't slip out of her cheek to shoulder hold. She continued to stir the pan, making sure the beef strips were thoroughly cooked. "The store clerk looked between us, and I could tell she was thinking we were buying underwear for each other, which could only mean one thing in her mind. It didn't help that the underwear Anzu brought had lace on it."

Yami let out a loud laugh from the speaker, causing Yuugi to quickly drop the wooden spoon to yank the phone from her ear. She pressed the speaker button on the cell, Yami's laugh now echoing in her kitchen while she made her Sunday dinner. She placed the phone on the counter, her hands now free to cook.

"Oh man." Said Yami, and she could imagine him sporting one of his grins. "Yuugi, how do you set yourself up for these things?"

"It's not my fault she decided to come snoop around." Said Yuugi, dumping the now cooked meet onto a plate. "Who wants help buying underwear anyway? It's embarrassing."

"You were in a lingerie store, what else are the employees supposed to do?"

"Hide behind the counter until we go to check out."

Yami chuckled again. "So what happened after that?"

"I'm beyond flustered at this point, which as you know means-"

"-no one but me and select others can understand what you're saying because you're spazing out."

"Yup. While clutching a stringy red thong I might add. I bet the lady thought I was a pervert."

Yuugi dumped a can of cream of mushroom soup in the sauce pan, waited for Yami to stop laughing before finishing. "Luckily Anzu shooed her away soon after that. That lady probably gets her kicks by seeing how many people she can mess with while working."

"I'm sure." Said Yami's voice, obviously humoring her. "What are you making anyway? I can hear you cooking."

"Beef stroganoff." Said Yuugi, adding a bouillon cube to the sauce. "I decided to embrace my inner woman and cook a decent meal today."

"How very domestic of you, but I think it has more to do with your black hole appetite."

"If we're going to start name calling-"

The sound of the front door opening cut Yuugi short. She paused, sure she had locked it. Then the sounds of keys rattling and a familiar voice reached her ears.

"Yuugi. I'm home, are you there?"

Yuugi immediately dropped the spoon. She snatched up the phone, pressing on the speaker button to turn it off as she quickly walked towards the back hallway. Upon reaching it, she pressed the speaker to her ear, Yami's voice audible as he called her name, asking if she was still there.

"Gramps just got home." Said Yuugi quietly.

There was silence.

Her Grandpa wasn't supposed to get home from his exhibition until next weekend, leaving Yuugi alone in the house until then. For some reason, he had come home early. Usually Yuugi would have been thrilled, hating how empty the house felt without him there, but she had yet to tell him about her emergence.

"Will you stay with me?" said Yuugi meekly into the phone. "In case it doesn't go well?"

"Of course."

Yuugi clutched the phone against her sternum, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then walked out. She only made it halfway through the living room before stopping.

Sugoroku Mutou stood in the kitchen, sniffing at the sauce Yuugi had left on the stove. A dusty brown backpack rested on his shoulders, another duffle bag laying on the floor by the couch.

"Yuugi." Said her grandpa, grabbing a spoon and stirring the sauce pan. "You shouldn't leave the sauce unattended. It could burn."

"Yeah, sorry 'bout that." Said Yuugi, her voice coming out in a choke. Grandpa finally turned to look at her, eyes taking her in. For a moment he just looked at her, expression unreadable as Yuugi fidgeted. Then it broke into a kind smile.

"You look just like your mother did at that age." Said Gramps.

Yuugi's chest swelled, pressing the phone harder into her chest. The backpack slipped from his shoulders as Grandpa's short legs closed the distance between them. Then he pulled Yuugi into a tight embrace. She buried her face into her grandpa's shoulder, letting her nerves drain away.

"I'm glad to see that you're doing well." Said Gramps, releasing her. "When I heard what happened, I was worried you might be freaking out like you tend to do."

"Yeah, well, I've had some good help." Said Yuugi, her face stretched into a big smile. She quickly pressed the phone to her ear. "Excuse me a second Gramps - Yami? You still there?"

"Yes."

"It's all fine. Thanks for staying."

"Of course."

She hung up, slipping the phone into her pocket.

"Now Yuugi," Said Sugoroku, going back to the half cooked meal. "Tell me everything that's happened while we finish dinner."

The two of them talked for hours. Yuugi told him everything; waking up and being freaked out, meeting with Mai, seeing her friends and their reactions. She even expressed some fears she hadn't told anyone else. That people would somehow know that she used to be a male just by looking at her and be disgusted with her. Or that everyone would only secretly tolerate her, talking about how weird she when she turned her back.

Her Grandpa was the perfect listener. He paid close attention, asking questions, giving support when needed and expressing his regret that he hadn't been there to help her. Apparently he heard about her emergence from the counseling office Yuugi had visited and he'd booked the next flight from Egypt the same hour.

Yuugi's heart swelled at knowing that her grandpa cared so much, that he still loved her. A small part of her had been terrified, believing that changing into a girl would somehow cause her grandpa to be disgusted with her.

"I will admit, it's going to take a while to get used to." Said Gramps, stroking his beard. "I'll probably still think of you as my grandson for some time, but you're still my Yuugi, and that much will never change, no matter how much you do."

Sometime after all the food had been consumed and the dishes placed in the sink, Sugoroku expressed a desire to see her dressed up one of the girl outfits she had gotten with Anzu. After much persuading and bribing, Yuugi put on the mini skirt they had purchased.

"Now that's something I never thought I'd see." Said Gramps as Yuugi picked at the hem of the skirt.

"It feels so strange." She said, turning to look at the full length mirror they had grabbed from a storage room. " _And_ it looks strange. Gosh, I'm taking it off, I feel like such a pervert."

She went to go change, but her grandpa strode over to her, placing his hands on his shoulder to stop her from moving.

"That's not what I meant." Said Gramps, standing behind Yuugi while they faced the full length mirror. He gestured at the image. "I meant I never thought skirts would ever suite you, but then again I never thought you would emerge."

Yuugi scrunched her face, the girl in the mirror doing so as well. Her gramps saw the face, giving her a light flick on her ear.

"Don't give me that look, I'm trying to help you." He said. "Now, tell me what you see in the mirror."

"Me." She said simply, "And you of course."

"Do you now?"

Yuugi frowned, the reflection doing so as well. What did her grandpa mean by that? Of course she saw herself in the mirror, that's what mirrors did. They reflected your image.

"I'm not in the mood for soul searching riddles Gramps." Said Yuugi.

"You're going to have to be. Things are going to change a lot in the first few months."

"I don't want them to." Said Yuugi, lowering her head. She had liked the way things were. She had her grandpa and good friends that cared for her and protected her from bullies. She enjoyed school and everyday was fun. But now, she was in a body that still didn't feel like her own and half of her friends weren't talking to her. Every hour was plagued by self-doubt and fear for what the next day would bring.

Grandpa gave her shoulders a squeeze, causing Yuug to look up at her grandpa. The crows feet that lined his eyes wrinkled as he smiled warmly at her. "It will get better. I promise. But first, you have to see who you are now."

He gestured back at the mirror. "Do you know what I see? I see my new granddaughter. I also see a beautiful kind young woman with so much potential. She just has to see it for herself."

"I think you're a little biased." Said Yuugi, but she smiled all the same.

"Then you do better." Said Grandpa

"Fine. I see a girl wearing a skirt that's way too short. Seriously, it goes down to mid-thigh on me and I'm tiny. How do tall girls stand it when it barely covers their butt? I feel so exposed."

"Focus Yuugi, and I happen to like short skirts."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that."

She looked again, this time _really_ looked at the reflection.

 _But I don't see me._ She realized with a start. She still didn't identify the reflection in the mirror as hers. She knew logically it was her, it had to be, but she still saw herself as a stranger.

"I see someone I don't know." She confessed, this time examining her appearance with care. The softer hands, the bigger eyes, her long hair. It was all familiar yet different, and in that moment it clicked. This was who she was now. In her mind's eye she still saw herself as a man, unable to see what she had become. Now she was looking at the reality and it was finally settling in. This was her new identity.

"You've always liked meeting new people" Said Gramps, taking a step back and folding his arms over his chest. "Think you could grow to like this stranger?"

Yuugi eyed her appearance, a bubble of anticipation forming inside her. Yes, she was sure she could come to accept her new self. Just like anything, it would take time and effort, but she was excited to see what new part of herself she would discover.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **Beef stroganoff. Not really Japanese but meh, I was craving it.**

 **And yes, Yuugi doesn't actually look like his mother, but I can do what I want! It's mah story adaptation. XD**

 **Thank you Zahhak the Warrior God, Hiei Dragon Girl, Oro Rosa, Lazu , AnimaniAshley and unnamed guests for reviewing! (Seriously, any author will tell you that reviews are as good as gold to us)**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Yuugi expected the stares, she really did. What she did not expect was the disgust and obvious disdain on the faces of her classmates. She wasn't even wearing the girls uniform. The only thing that indicated her change was the long hair, yet somehow they all knew.

Her friend's reactions just made it worse. Jou was practically growling as she slid into the chair next to him. Honda looked her up and down once before narrowing his eyes and turning his attention to the front of the class. Ryou didn't even acknowledge her. He just kept his head forward, shoulders hunched.

Whispers buzzed in Yuugi's ears like thousands of angry flies. Her stomach was churning, making her sick with the fear and shame. She turned to talk to Yami, to have at least one person help her feel like she wasn't a freak.

"Guess it's just too hard for people to accept quickly." She said weakly, trying her best to smile.

Yami glanced at her, then back down at his desk.

"Yami? What's wrong?"

He pushed his chair back, the sound bringing the rest of the classes attention onto him as he stood up. He then started down at her, hesitation and pain on his face.

"I'm sorry Yuugi." He said quietly. "I don't want you to talk to me ever again."

Yuugi started, confused and hurt. "What do you mean Yami? Why would you say that?"

He was no longer meeting her eyes, instead looking at a spot on the ground. "It's weird. You're weird. This whole situation is just too strange. I don't want to be associated with a freak like you."

Yuugi's heat stopped beating. She reached out a hand to touch Yami, but he shrank back from her and started walking away.

"Yami!" cried Yuugi, standing up. "Yami, please. Don't walk away."

But he didn't stop. He kept walking. The rest of her classmates pressed in, taunting her and calling her a freak. The air was stuffy; it was hard to breathe as the accusations of her classmates physically ripped into her.

She clamped her hands over her ears, shaking her head. She needed to get out, she needed to stop Yami from leaving.

She scrambled from her desk, her foot catching on the chair-

-and fell flat on her face into the carpet.

Yuugi blinked several times, wondering when the school had changed the floors. Then she realized that she wasn't at school. She was at home on the floor in her room, her legs tangled in the sheets of the bed.

Carefully, Yuugi sat up on the floor, rubbing her sore face. She slowed her breathing until the rhythm was smooth and calm, trying her best to forget the sickness and fear that still churned inside her.

School nightmares _sucked._

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you Hiei Dragon Girl, devilface1034,** **pirate22** **and AnimaniAshley for your reviews the last few chapters! Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 10

"Maybe this isn't such a good idea." Said Yuugi.

She tugged the hem of the skirt further down, unable to rid herself of the feeling of being exposed. The booty shorts she wore underneath didn't help much either. Why were the school uniform skirts so short! It was just asking for trouble. Maybe they were bought for a discount since they appeared to be missing the bottom half of the material.

If the length of the skirt wasn't bad enough, there was the blazer. It was basically just a tailor suite… that was bright pink.

"I mean, It's been, what? Three days since I emerged?" said Yuugi, throwing up her hands. "I'm still adjusting to it."

Yami, who was standing on the sidewalk next to her house, didn't say anything. He just watched her, eyes taking in her whole appearance. His scrutiny just made her feel more nervous.

"Argh, forget this. I'm going back inside." Said Yuugi. She went to the house, walked inside and shut the door before immediately yanking it back open to yell: "You're supposed to stop me!"

"Am I?' he said, not having moved from his spot.

"Yes, and you're supposed to drag me to school!"

"We're going to be late unless we leave right now."

"You are not helpful!" said Yuugi, grumbling as she shut the door and walked towards him, dragging her feet. "I honestly can't tell if this is a good idea or not. What if I'm not ready to face everyone?"

"Think of it like this Yuugi." Said Yami, coming to her and clapping a hand on her shoulder. "If you stay at home today, Gramps is going to put you to work in the shop. Then you'll have a ton of customers asking you about your emergence. Perhaps even Rebecca will come by and demand to know why you didn't tell her you emerged."

Yuugi gave an involuntary shiver at the thought of facing her self-proclaimed _"darling's"_ wrath.

"Hell no. Let's get out of here." Said Yuugi, zipping past Yami. She heard him chuckle before striding quickly to catch up.

They walked in silence for the first few minutes, Yuugi's trepidation growing with each step. What if it all turned out like her dream? What if all her friends refused to talk to her?

"We could skip school." Said Yami, his voice snapping her out of her thoughts. She considered it for a moment before shaking her head.

"No, it's fine." Said Yuugi, squaring back her shoulders. "I know you're concerned, but I decided to embrace my new life. I'm not going to run away. It's better to face these hurdles sooner rather than sit at home and let my worries fester until I'm too scared to move. You know how I tend to freak out if I'm left alone with my thoughts too long."

"True." Said Yami.

There was at least one thing in her dream that wouldn't come true. She knew Yami would never turn his back on her like that. If he was there, she could withstand any amount of bullying or harsh treatment her nightmares turned real could conjure.

"How did your parents react to you missing school?" said Yuugi. As they waited at an intersection. The walk light lit up and they joined the horde of people crossing the crosswalk.

"It wasn't anything dramatic if that's what you're thinking." Said Yami. "They just wondered what had happened and I told them my friend had an emergency. They listened, then told me that it meant that the year of perfect attendance had started over."

"So they're not going to let it go?" said Yuugi. She wasn't surprised based on the stories she had heard about Yami's parents, but she had still hoped. "Surely they can make an exception for this."

"It didn't matter" Said Yami with a shrug. "They said: _'the emergency must have meant more to me than my ability to move out. I made a choice so I have to live with the consequences.'"_

"Yami." said Yuugi sadly. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have let you skip…"

"Nonsense." Said Yami, waving her apology away. "I was the one that chose to stay. Besides they were right. The emergency was more important. My eighteenth birthday is only half a year away. What's three extra months compared to before? Then they can't legally keep me there against my will."

 _No, but they did promise to pay for your housing, that promise no longer applicable._ Thought Yuugi sadly. She felt terrible.

Someone in the crowd jostled her and she nearly fell. A tug on her arm kept her upright, and she looked up to see Yami smiling at her, pulling back the arm that had helped her.

"I thought we already went over this. I don't want to see anymore moping from you." He said, giving her head a light tap with his fist. "Where did all that optimism from before go?"

"I think I dropped it a while back." Said Yuugi, grimacing. Then she remembered something. "Wait a second Yami."

Yuugi started digging through her bag and pulled out a small rectangular box.

"Here."

Curious, Yami took the proffered box, turning it over in his hands. He lifted the lid and Yuugi was rewarded with his shocked expression.

"Yuugi… this is."

"That last piece of Exodia." Said Yuugi happily. "I originally got it for your birthday, but I wanted to thank you somehow for everything you've done for me since I emerged."

Yami had a huge fondness for the popular game 'Duel Monsters'. It was part of how the two of them had met. They both loved games in general and had quickly bonded over the card game. After months of searching she had found the final piece of Exodia that Yami was missing. She would just have to find something else to give him for his birthday.

"Thank you Yuugi." Said Yami, replacing the lid. He gave her a one armed side hug, squishing her against his side.

"No problem." Grinned Yuugi as he pulled away, her cheeks warm with delight. She could tell Yami really liked her present. "So who's the first person you're going to duel with it?"

"Kaiba." Said Yami with no hesitation. "It would be great to see the look on his face when I summon it."

Yuugi couldn't help but laugh at the thought. "That would be perfect. You have to invite me to come watch."

The card still felt inadequate as thanks for all he had done for her, but it was the best she could do at the moment. In the future, she'd have to find a better way the thank him.

* * *

The stares started before Yuugi even got to the class room. Apparently her identity as _"the guy that hung out with Yami"_ was well known enough that people were confused at her appearance by his side. Most seemed to assume that Yami had gotten a girlfriend until someone finally recognized her for who she was.

She saw when the first person realized it, nudging their friend's side to point her out to them. It only took a few minutes from there before the questioning looks changes to full on stares that followed them to the class room.

They arrived just as the bell rung, everyone scrambling into their seats. Yuugi was about to do the same when the teacher called her up to the front of the class.

"Yuugi, could I have you come up to the front?"

Trying and failing to ignore the stares, Yuugi stood in front of the class, hands clasped to stop them from shaking.

"As some of you probably noticed, Yuugi here recently went through emergence over the weekend." Said the teacher. "I want everyone to be kind to her as she adjusts through this new situation."

The class kept muttering to each other, a mixture of reactions on everyone's face. Yuugi had taken the time to get to know everyone in the class and she didn't like the way they were all looking at her.

As if she were a stranger.

 _They're also trying to adjust._ Thought Yuugi, taking a breath.

"You guys look like you saw a ghost." Said Yuugi, forcing her body to relax. She placed a hand on her hip, cocking her head as she grinned at them. "Seriously, just because I'm now a girl doesn't mean I won't kick your but in card games."

The comment sent a timid ripple of laughter through the room, and she noticed that several people relaxed.

"Also," said Yuugi, holding up a finger "Sorry Miho, but I will _not_ be your dress up doll."

Miho was one of his classmates that had been begging Yuugi to let her put make up on her for months, declaring that _"he"_ had the biggest puppy eyes she had ever seen. The girl stuck out her lip in a pout at the comment.

"But you'd look so cute!" she said, several of her friends laughing with agreement.

Yuugi chuckled as well, letting the teacher shoo her from the front to start the lesson. She eased into her chair, letting out a big breath. She glanced behind herself at Yami who gave her a thumbs up.

That had gone much better than she could have hoped for. Everyone was probably still in shock about the change, but showing them that Yuugi herself was comfortable with her change made everyone less inclined to tip toe around her. At least, as long as she appeared to be fine.

No, the real problem was the few in the crowd whose expression had looked far from pacified.

Jou and Honda hadn't looked at her, the first glowering like in her dreams while the other just seemed petrified. Then there was Ryou, the boy's expression completely unreadable, eyes empty as he had stared at her. If Yuugi had to guess, he had appeared almost… disappointed.

Jou and Honda could wait, she'd deal with them later. It was that blank expression that Yuugi instantly knew was not a good sign.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The second the bell rang, Yuugi stood up to corner Ryou. Her plans were ruined when she realized the albino had already left.

"Take my books to the next class for me?"

Yami nodded, and Yuugi sped out of the room, just spotting his white hair disappearing around the corner. It took a few minutes to track him down, which was incredible considering that he was so averse to physical activity. Then again, Yuugi could almost qualify for a certified midget.

"Ryou!"

He looked up just in time to see her full on tackle him. They both fell to the ground in the middle of the hall, a tangle of limbs. She ignored the stares as she settled herself on his back, trying to catch her breath.

"Get off." Said Ryou, struggling to sit back up.

"You have to promise not to run first." Said Yuugi,

"Please Yuugi, I don't want to talk."

"Well too bad." Said Yuugi, adjusting her hold on his back so that her legs wrapped around his torso. It was a good thing for those shorts or else she'd be flashing the whole hallway. "If you don't want to talk, fine. I'll talk and we can do this right here in the hall along with our audience."

The two of them continued to struggle for a moment until some of the comments of the people around her caught her ear. One in particular made her pause.

"Wow Yuugi. You just emerged yet you're already jumping boys. Do I get a turn next?"

Yuugi's face turned red. She quickly got off of Ryou, turning to the person who had spoken. "Connor, if you spread that rumor around I'm going to fill your gym shoes with lard!"

"You're doing that yourself no problem." Her previous classmate chuckled, then gestured down the hall. "Looks like you've lost him though."

 _Crap._ Ryou was running away again.

"I'm serious about that lard!" called Yuugi over her shoulder as she took off after Ryou. She wove though the people in the hall, glad her short statue was good for something. He was slowing down, which was good since she was getting tired!

The next corner he turned lead to the outside. She hung back a bit, not wanting him to notice her. She watched as she looked around for a few seconds before sighing in relief. Then he walked to a shaded area under a tree and sat down, head hunched forward, his entire posture screaming defeated.

Slowly, Yuugi approached from her hiding spot. Five feet away, her foot stepped on something that snapped.

Ryou's head popped up.

He stared wide eyed at Yuugi for half a second, terror obvious. Then scrambled to his feet.

"I won't chase you this time." Said Yuugi.

He paused, and Yuugi was finally able to look him over. Dark purplish circles hung beneath his eyes, their light dimmed from whatever emotions were eating away at it. His clothes were disheveled from their running, hair splayed out in a wild tangled mess. He looked like a good slice of crazy. Then again, she probably didn't appear much different not having gotten any sleep last night herself.

She walked over, sitting with her back to the tree before patting the ground beside her.

"Sit."

He did so, and they stayed there for a moment, just letting their thoughts wander.

"This has nothing to do about my emergence does it?" said Yuugi. "What did Bakura do this time?"

Based on the sudden tension in Ryou's expression, she had hit it on the head.

"It's nothing that hasn't happened before." Said Ryou, hugging his knees. "He's such a jerk. He just shows up, making a lot of noise and bossing me around. I'm not even sure what was so different about this time… I just…"

"You just what?" asked Yuugi, gently prompting him to continue.

Ryou pulled at a stand of his hair, grimacing. "I have to wonder if he even cares, you know? He didn't even realize… I'm sorry Yuugi. I'm just frustrated at him and when I saw you had emerged without telling me I just sort of… took it out on you."

"Your version of taking it out on someone is tame. Jou and Yami nearly killed each other." Said Yuugi, prompting a weak chuckle from Ryou. "I'm sorry Ryou. I tried calling you multiple times yesterday, but I kept getting the voice mail."

"That would be Bakura's fault." Said Ryou, placing his head between his legs. "Didn't want me to call the ambulance."

"Was he hurt again?"

"Yeah… still won't tell me how it keeps happening."

Yuugi smiled, placing a comforting hand on Ryou's back. "You going to be ok?"

"I'll be fine." Said Ryou, taking another deep breath.

They sat there for another minute before Ryou finally came out of his revere, standing up in one swift motion. He wiped his face, his overall countenance brightening considerably. "Sorry... And thanks for listening."

"Anytime." said Yuugi, dusting off her skirt. "Just don't make me chase you down again."

Ryou finally smiled.

* * *

The sight that greeted Yuugi and Ryou when they got back to their hall was an interesting one, albeit not too uncommon. Jounouchi was in the middle of a scuffle, currently holding a male student in a head lock.

"Say it again!" spat Jounouchi. "I dare ya. Say it again to my face."

"Jou, what are you doing?" said Yuugi, pushing through the other students to get closer. "Yami, Honda, why aren't you stopping him?"

"Yuugi?" said Jou, getting distracted by her arrival. The other student took the opening to elbow Jou hard in the rips, prompting the blonde to let go as he clutched his side.

"You want me to say it again." Said the student, rubbing his neck, his face red with anger. He jabbed a finger towards Yuugi, the crowd in the hall following it to stare at her. "She's a freak! That's what she is. It's disgusting that we have things like this in our school."

Humiliation burned Yuugi's face. She turned her gaze downward to avoid looking at all the accusing stares. It was just like her dream, her peers pressing in on her from all sides, the murmured whispers of freak…

"Shut your hole yah dipstick!"

This time, Yami restrained Joy, just barely keeping a hold of him as he yelled: "Nobody talks about my friend like dat! She is not a freak and if I hear you say something like that again I'm going to shove this text book up your ass! Do you hear me?!"

"Jou, calm down." Sad Yuugi, shaken out of her fear by Jou's yelling. She grabbed hold of Jou's other arm and tried to get him back inside the class room.

"Let me go Yuugi," said Jou, still struggling. "I'm going to give 'em hell."

"Honda come help." Said Yuugi,

With the three of them combined, they pulled Jou away from the crowd, but not before Yuugi heard the guy yell: "You're a freak Mutou! Get out of this school."

Yuugi clenched her teeth, her and Ryou following as Honda and Yami took Jou into a less crowded hallway.

"Jou, calm down." Said Yami, but when Jou still struggled, Yami grabbed hold of Jou's shirt and shoved him against the wall. Yuugi couldn't help but jump a little at the aggressive behavior.

"Calm down! Do you want to cause more trouble for Yuugi?"

"But you heard what he was saying about 'em?' growled Jou. "How can you be so damn calm about all this?"

It was like the time in her house all over again.

"Jou, it's fine, I'm not upset." Said Yuugi, quickly intervening. "I'm actually really happy."

That effectively stopped Jou's rampage. He blinked at her, completely baffled at the statement. The rest of her friends were staring at her was well, their expressions asking her what the hell she was thinking.

"Come again?" said Honda. "Why in the world would you be happy about this?"

"Well…" Yuugi, scratched the back of her head, feeling self-conscious. "I'm happy because you stood up for me. I thought for sure that you hated me and didn't want anything to do with me since I emerged…"

Honda's face fell. "Listen Yuugi, that's not… We didn't mean…"

Yami finally let go of Jou, who stumbled for a second before coming up to Yuugi. He reached out, hand ruffling her hair into a huge mess like he always did.

"'Course we got your back Yuugi." Said Jou with a grin. "Just cause you're all girly now doesn't mean we'll abandon you."

Yami gave a snort. "That's not what it looked like the other day."

Jou finally let go of Yuugi's hair. She grumbled at him, trying her best to finger comb it into some semblance of order. Ryou handed her a comb from his pocket and she took it gratefully.

"You got to give us some slack here man." Said Jou, "We were just freaked out is all."

Yuugi couldn't help but smile as Jou and Yami continued to bicker, this time their tone indicating it wasn't serious. It looked like things were back to normal… or at least as normal as they could be all things considered.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Thank you my loyal reviewers: Guest, Hiei Dragon Girl, AnimaniAshleyand devilface1034. This story keeps going cause of you guys. XD**

* * *

Chapter 12

The rest of the week went by in a flash. Despite feeling like the whole world had changed, life went on as it always did and everyone soon fell into their normal routines. Anzu came over like always to sit with them at every lunch- being the only one in a different class than the rest of the gang. They all talked and laughed, their group inseparable. Almost nothing had changed.

Almost nothing.

There were little changes Yuugi couldn't help noticing. For one thing, Honda didn't look her in the eye unless they were at least five feet from each other. He also refused to sit next to her at lunch and if their shoulders touched on accident, he would tense up and stutter for the next five minutes.

Jounouchi was loud and playful like always, but seemed to be even more so when he talked to Yuugi. It reminded Yuugi of a nervous dog, though she would never tell Jounouchi that. Ryou was, if possible, a tad politer to Yuugi than before, careful to give her space.

Then there was Anzu, who out of everyone, seemed to have taken the change the best. Yuugi and Anzu were quickly becoming closer, being the only two girls in their group of friends. It was also due to her having to constantly save Yuugi from many embarrassing episodes.

The first trip to the girl's bathroom had almost completely unhinged Yuugi. It was a good thing girls didn't whip it out in the open like men did with urinals. And she didn't even want to think about gym class. She'd had to change in the girl's locker room with the rest of the female population. Her classmates had teased and cat called at her the whole time, just making the whole thing worse, but she couldn't complain. At least they were accepting of it rather than freaked out that she used to be a boy.

Overall, it turned out to be a fairly smooth transition so far. Definitely an improvement from her nightmares. For one thing, though her classmates did gather around her, it was to bombard her with questions rather than insults. The whole class had taken the attitude of treating her like a newly adopted sister, showing her the ropes of her new life and taking care to make her comfortable.

But to say that everyone accepted it would be a lie. More than a few people called her some very ugly things in the hall. Some of them made Yami so mad that she had to discreetly grab his sleeve to stop him from jumping them. Their insults would sometimes echo inside her head for hours, making her feel so sick she couldn't eat.

Occasionally she would get a threatening letter in her locker or junk stored inside her shoes. These types of experiences were second nature to her back from her days of being bullied so she didn't pay them any attention. If they got worse, she'd deal with it. For now, it was just people blowing off steam.

No, what made everything bearable was the strength she got from her friends. They stuck through it all with her, sharing her frustrations and embarrassments all together. What at first caused a rift, brought the whole group together as they tackled this new experience together.

She was walking down the hall one day, intent on finding a vending machine when she overheard an interesting conversation.

"...to take the cowards way out."

Yuugi recognized that voice as Marik's. He was a close friend of Yami's, more of the upper class type of person who knew Yami's family. The guy was a one-on-one type of person, preferring the company of Yami and occasionally Yuugi, rather than hanging out with the whole group. So she wasn't a surprised to hear Yami reply.

"It's not cowardice. She's going though enough right now, I don't need to add my feelings to the mess. Besides, you think she's going to just up and turn her around preferences over night? If anything is going to happen it will take time."

Yuugi slowed her pace, immediately realizing this was supposed to be a private conversation. But self-restraint and curiosity had never been good friends in Yuugi's book. She kept listening.

"Mark my words Yami, if you keep delaying, she's going to be snatched up before you know it. She's become rather cute now. Who knows, maybe I'll even try my hand."

"Don't you dare." She heard Yami growl.

Yuugi could hear the teasing in Marik's voice, and she was sure Yami did as well. Was their conversation that serious that Yami couldn't even brush the comment off as a joke?

Deciding that it was time to show herself, Yuugi came out from around the corner.

"Hey guys." She said, holding up a hand.

Yami immediately went stiff, eyes widening as he turned to look at her. She couldn't help but be curious and slightly alarmed at his behavior. Yami never freaked out like that.

"What's the matter Yami?" she said quickly, walking over to him. "Are you feeling alright?"

He stared at her for another second, thoughts zipping past his face. Then he relaxed.

"I'm fine." He said, "You just startled me is all."

Marik gave a chuckled and Yami shot him a glare.

"The female look does you good Yuugi." Said Marik, ignoring the glaring man beside him. "Who knew you'd be this cute when you became a girl?"

"C-cute?"

Yuugi had heard it before, but that had been from strangers and another girl. She couldn't process that a male that had known her as a _guy_ thought she was cute as a _girl_. It was insane!

"Sure you are." Said Marik, elbowing Yami in the ribs. "I bet Yami thinks so as well."

Now that just piqued Yuugi's curiosity. She cocked her head at Yami, wondering what he thought.

"Do you think I look cute?" said Yuugi.

The look Yami was giving her made it obvious they had made him uncomfortable with the question. She was about to start teasing him for his hesitation when he seemed to pull himself together.

"Yes." He said simply, staring straight at her while he said it. "You look cute."

Yuugi blinked at him, surprised at the response. To be honest, the complement felt different coming from him then it did coming from Marik. She frowned at the thought.

"I'm not sure how I feel about being called cute by you two." She said. "I know girls are supposed to like it but to me… it just feels like I lost all my dignity as a man."

"I feel the need to point out that you aren't one anymore." Said Marik with a grin. For some reason he elbowed Yami in the ribs, raising his eyebrows at him. Yami shoved the arm away, walking towards Yuugi. He grabbed her by the shoulders and started steering her away from Marik.

"You were looking for a vending machine I assume? There's one waaaaaay at the other end of the hall away from this psycho."

"Hey! I resent that." Said Marik laughing at their retreat. Yami didn't respond, and Yuugi let him lead them away from Marik.

Once they were out of earshot Yuugi brought up what had been bugging her. "What was the whole thing about? Was Marik blackmailing you or something?" Before she had come into the conversation it had sounded like they were talking about a girl. Was this related to the person Yami liked?

"He's just being the usual pain in the butt." Said Yami. "Don't worry about it."

That just made Yuugi even more curious.


	13. Chapter 13

**I also can't forget to thank Oro Rosa for their supportive reviews. XD And thank you Bright Eyes Illusionist as well! I like new readers.**

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Chapter 13

After thinking for some time about what she had heard, Yuugi was nowhere closer to figuring out who Yami liked. Sure, she could have asked him again, but he wouldn't have answered. Any attempts to weasel out any information were easily deflected. A part of her wanted to respect his wishes to keep the person unanimous, but the larger curious part of her wouldn't listen.

To start off with, Yami liked someone who liked someone else. That honestly could mean anyone since people kept things like that quiet. Then it came down to how Yami would know that they liked someone else. Had the person told them directly, or was he just guessing? Honestly, Yami had a natural talent for observing people so it was possible that he guessed just from watching their actions.

Yuugi had started listing off the girls in her head that Yami hung out with. Other than Anzu, there wasn't really anyone that he tended to spend a lot of time with. Well, technically Yuugi was a girl now but that didn't count since she had just barely entered to female population. Did that mean that Anzu liked someone already? No, Yami would have given him a hint since he knew she liked Anzu.

Then that thought sent her on another tail spin of thoughts. Yuugi had liked Anzu as a guy, but now she was a girl. What happened then to her sexuality? Was she expected to fall in love with a guy now since she was technically a girl. Or would people understand that her preferences hadn't change just because her gender had. No matter how she looked at it, people would think she was at least bi no matter what she did…. and now she was completely off track from her original thought.

Anzu… Yami… Who liked who? It was staring to drive her nuts!

Maybe Yami liked some random girl he had run into in the corridor. The heavy books she had been carrying to class were knocked to the ground as they collided. Yami, being the gentle man that he is, had stopped to help pick them up. She had thanked him, smiling up at him like the light of a thousand suns. The expression had instantly pierced his heart, making him fall in love with her. He later found out she had a boyfriend, so he kept his distance to prevent his crush from growing. But alas, his heart had betrayed him. His love for her had not withered, instead growing until it became painful to breathe.

But wait, Yami had said to Marik that he didn't want to add his feelings to her current burden. Something about preferences changing. Maybe she had just experienced a hard break up and he didn't want to be insensitive and sweep in to claim her heart. Yami was such a kind person.

Yuugi gave a sign, patting Yami sympathetically on the arm while they sat in the library.

"It's fine Yami. I'm here for you."

Yami gave her a look. "Why do I feel like you just insulted me?"


	14. Chapter 14

**Thank you guys!: Bright Eyes Illusionist, vyeralyn, AnimaniAshley, Lazu, Hiei Dragon Girl, and SkyNakama27. Thanks for your reviews! They make me happy. XD**

 **Vyeralyn, you're the first person to write that they recognize the story this is based of off. I'm glad you're enjoying it.**

 **And thank you Lazu as well for all your comments! I love knowing what you guys think about the little things in the story.**

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Chapter 14

Life sucked.

That was Yuugi's new philosophy. That, and school should always start after twelve. Seriously, who functions properly at such ungodly hours? Today was not a good day. 1st period hadn't even started and she was ready to go home.

Yuugi tossed her bag onto the desk, then grumbled when it slipped off and landed upside down. She had half a mind to kick for its sass.

"You're in quite the mood I see." Said Jounouchi, sliding into the seat beside her. Yuugi grimaced.

"I'm just tired." She said, yawning. "Why are you so happy this morning?"

"Can't I be happy for no reason?" said Jou.

"No. It's sickening."

"Wow. Grouch."

"Bite me."

Her mood got better as the day wore on. Thankfully her backpack learned it's lesson and listened to her commands for the next few classes. It was between classes that she came unglued due to a certain friend of hers.

"Honda." Said Yuugi, her mood good at this point. "Let's finish our project for Macbeth after school today. Have you started on the outline?"

"N-no. I haven't." Said Honda, not looking her in the eye. He was determinedly looking at a spot at least a foot above her. Though this was becoming the norm for their interactions, for some reason, this time it annoyed her.

"Hey, I'm down here." Said Yuugi, poking Honda in the stomach. The boy yelped, dropping his notebook on the floor.

"Don't do that Yuugi." Said Honda, pickup up his stuff.

"Why?" said Yuugi, still annoyed. "Give me a good reason why you can't look me in the eye."

"You just poked a ticklish spot is all." Said Honda, still not looking at her. His head was bowed, an arm crossed in front of his body and hugging the notebook to his chest.

Something in Yuugi just… snapped.

This was ridiculous. Yuugi was not used to the timid and docile Honda. He was usually as loud as Jou, the two feeding off of each other's energy. But now he was reserved, more timid around her. It was starting to drive her nuts. Where was the ridiculous smart aleck friend she was used to?

"Gosh, I'm getting so sick of this." Said Yuugi, stomping her foot in anger. "Why the hell can't you just look at me like you used to?"

Honda's face snapped up, no doubt surprised at her outburst. "That's… I'm trying Yuugi I really am but-"

"But what?" said Yuugi, not caring that people were starting to stare. "Go ahead and say it."

"Things are different now." Said Honda, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm still adjusting to what I can and can't do. I can't get what happened at your house out of my head. I'm trying to determine where the line is for interacting."

"What line?" said Yuugi. "Why can't you just treat me the same as you always have?"

"You're a girl now." Said Honda, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I'm sorry, but I can't treat you the same. It wouldn't be right."

Yuugi took a step back, hurt flashing hot inside her of. It was replaced a second later with rage.

"Fine then."

She turned and stormed off, determined to get away before she started yelling at Honda for his stupidity. Why did her gender change anything? Why couldn't her friend treat her like he always had? Just because she was a girl didn't mean anything had really changed.

She was done being the patient one. She was done being the mature one in this situation.

Yuugi let out a frustrated yell, prompting a nearby teacher to scold her for causing such a racket.

She arrived at her next class, art appreciation, and sat quickly in her seat. She folded her arms across her chest, scowling at anything that dared be happy. She was in no mood to talk, which was why she was glad to see Anzu talking to another friend when she took the seat beside Yuugi, who continued to mope silently. It didn't last long though. Her friend finished her conversation and commented on Yuugi's obviously foul mood, which she just shrugged off, telling her she'd be fine. Class started soon after and they weren't able to talk.

As the lesson progressed, Yuugi's frustration slowly deflated, at least for the most part. Occasionally it would flare from some question or fact from the class. ( _We have to do what for a paper? How many pages do you want it to be? Gosh, we are not in college. We are high schoolers!)_ By the end, most of her frustration was gone and she just felt drained from the sustained effort of being angry.

"Yuugi, you ok?" asked Anzu the second the bell rang.

"I'm fine." Said Yuugi with a sigh. "I'm just sick of being treated like a girl."

Anzu gave her a strange look. "What do you mean by that?"

Yuugi paused. She didn't like talking 'bad' about her friends behind their backs. If she had a problem she preferred to talk to them directly rather than complain to her friends. But in this case, she _had_ just blown up in Honda's face. Perhaps Anzu would have some good insight on what she should do.

"Have you noticed that since I've emerged, everyone has been treating me differently?" said Yuugi. "I just had a fight with Honda because he doesn't look me in the eye when he talks to me. I know he's scared of girls but gosh! I don't even qualify as one. Why does it change anything?"

"I'll admit, I have seen a change." Said Anzu slowly. "Honda is definitely the most obvious, that's for sure. Has anyone else been treating you differently?"

"There have been some instances." Said Yuugi bitterly. "And not just in our group. People play nicer against me in PE and are politer in general. Sometimes I'm helped with things they would have ignored before, like collecting homework or opening doors for me. Then there's the opposite side of the spectrum. I've noticed some guys leering at me and trying to peak under my skirt when I walk down the stairs. It's like I'm expected to either be made of glass or an object for their perverted fantasies."

"With the perverts, I can see why you'd be annoyed by them." Said Anzu. "But what's wrong with being treated with respect? Why would that bother you?"

"Because that's not how they treated me before!" said Yuugi with exasperation. As a guy, Yuugi had been taught to treat girls with special care. Chivalry was not dead in Yuugi's book. At least, when she had been a man it had been a thing. Now, it felt so odd to be on the receiving end of it. Mostly she just felt pathetic when others did things for her. Forget Honda not looking at her, it was insulting to be treated with such delicate care. She still had her pride as a strong independent person.

"It's like I'm weak." Said Yuugi bitterly. "I can't stand it. I hate being treated like a girl."

"I'm sorry Yuugi." Said Anzu, giving Yuugi a kind pat on the shoulder. "Rather than thinking that they're seeing you as weak, realize that they're being respectful. Would you rather that they treated you like before and rough housed with you?"

Yuugi's honest answer was a resounding _yes!_ But she realized that Anzu _couldn't_ understand her. Anzu had always been a female, loved and respected by everyone around her. She had a great personality. She was charming, genuine and humble. She seemed to thrive on the special attention she received as a popular girl, taking it in her stride when people were extra nice to her. While the attention and care looked good on Anzu, it made Yuugi sick to think that others would pamper her in the same way.

"You're not weak Yuugi." Said Anzu, breaking her train of thought. "And the way people treat you doesn't mean they see you as weak either. It's inevitable that people will treat you differently than before. There are just too many universal differences between the way men and women are viewed."

"But I don't want to be treated any differently." Said Yuugi, feeling like a broken record.

"Yuugi," Said Anzu placing a hand to her own heart. She looked at Yuugi in earnest now, her eyes shining with genuine concern. "I'm sorry that you're upset about this, but no matter what happens, I won't treat you any differently. I can promise you that! Well, except that I will one day convince you to put on makeup. I don't think it counts since I was trying to do that before you were a girl. But I will definitely do my best to see you for who you are rather than your gender."

Yuugi gave a small smile. Perhaps if she hadn't been in a bad mood all day the declaration would have immediately soothed all her fears. But at the moment, her views on life were more sardonic. After Anzu made her promise, Yuugi's immediate thought was that she would break it one day. After all, there were some things that could never be now that Yuugi was a girl.

Then Yuugi was hit with an idea. A bad, manipulative idea to test Anzu's declaration. She went with it, acting before she could stop herself and realize what she was doing. Before she could realize how horrible it was of her to put her friend on the spot after she made that promise out of care and love to help Yuugi feel better.

"Does that mean if I asked you out on a date, you would give me the same answer you would have given me if I were a boy?"

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 **Random thought question: So to fellow girls out there, who do you agree more with when it comes to chivalry? Do you think like Yuugi, or do you think like Anzu? Do you think it's sweet and respectful, or do you feel like you're being viewed like you're the weaker sex? I know my answer. What's yours?**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

The second the words left her mouth, she wished them back. The surprise coupled with slight panic on Anzu's face made Yuugi's insides turn cold. What a horrible, horrible way to let Anzu become aware of her crush. She had put Anzu on the spot, trapping her so that no matter how she answered, Anzu would feel uncomfortable.

"Never mind!" said Yuugi, throwing up her hands to block Anzu's answer. She kept her gaze downward, unable to meet her friend's eyes. Her face heated up in a mixture of embarrassment and shame. "It was just a joke. You don't have to answer that."

"Yuugi I..."

That did it. The obvious pain in Anzu's voice was too much for her. Yuugi got up from her desk, hurrying out of the classroom before Anzu could say anything else. She practically sprinted to her locker, glad that classes were done for the day. Twice she had to re-stuff her books in to the locker, her hands were shaking so badly.

 _Stupid, stupid, STUPID Yuugi!_ She berated herself. Why had she said that to Anzu? Was she trying to make herself more miserable? Anzu was the type of person who would feel terrible for not being able to keep a promise to a friend. What Yuugi had done was the equivalent of returning a gift with a slap in the face. What a great friend she was.

"Yuugi."

She jumped at hearing her name, half terrified that Anzu had followed her to her locker. But no, it was Yami.

He was looking at her with concern, eyes taking in her nervous appearance and putting things together. "Are you going to tell me what happened?" he said after a second.

"Nothing happened." She muttered.

"You sound very convincing." Said Yami dryly "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really." Said Yuugi. Normally she would, but at the moment she didn't want to summon the energy to do it. She still felt sick with shame. "I just want to go home and soak in the bath honestly."

"Alright. Just wait a second while I get my books and I can walk you home." Said Yami, walking away.

A flutter of realization hit Yuugi. Yami had never walked her home every day back when she was a guy. Nor did he always come to pick her up. But ever since she had emerged, he had never let her walk to or from school without him there. Was he also treating her differently?

Her mood became, if possible, even more sour.

"Alight." Said Yami, coming back into view. "You ready?"

"You don't need to walk me home." Said Yuugi, the bitterness obvious in her voice.

Yami frowned at her. "I guess not, but I want to walk you home."

"Why. Because I'm a girl now?"

Yami looked startled for a moment before saying slowly. "I'll admit; it does ease my conscious by walking you home. I would worry too much if I didn't."

For about the hundredth time that day, Yuugi's emotions got the better of her. Her unstable feelings flared into anger, fueled by the lingering feelings of shame from her encounter with Anzu.

"I can't stand how you're all treating me differently because I'm a girl." Said Yuugi, gritting her teeth.

"What are you talking about?" said Yami.

"You, and Honda, and everyone!" said Yuugi. "You guys don't ever treat me like I'm the same person. It's not that hard! I didn't want things to change. I'm just a flipping girl but you guys act like I'm someone completely different. But I'm not. I'm just me. Why can't you guys see that?"

"It's not a matter of seeing you as a different person." Said Yami, meeting her anger with patience. His calm demeanor just made her even more upset. "There are some universal dangers and differences between men and woman that you can't ignore no matter how much you- Hey! Yuugi,"

Yuugi had begun walking away half way through his speech, not wanting to hear it. A part of her deep down knew that Yami was right, but she was no where near listening to the voice of reason. Right now, everything filled her with irritation to the point of bursting. Especially the truth.

"What's gotten into you?" said Yami, catching up with her.

"Just buzz off." Said Yuugi, pushing through the school doors. "I don't want to deal with you right now."

"But Yuugi-"

"I said buzz off!"

Thankfully, he must have gotten the hint. He stopped following her, Yuugi zipping past before her regret could catch up with her anger and tell her to turn around and apologize. Instead, she charged down the streets, fighting the urge to cry the whole way home.

It was about five minutes later that she finally slowed down until her feet came to a halt. She smacked herself in the forehead, groaning.

What was she doing? She had just snapped at three of her best friends for no good reason. They were doing their best in this situation as well, giving her so much support and care. What a great way to return the favor by snapping at them like this was all their fault.

Yuugi was so deep inside her self-pity that she didn't hear the scuffle of feet as three people approached. It wasn't until one spoke that she realized that someone had approached her.

"Well, what do we have here boys? It's the half male freak."

Yuugi froze, fear flooding through her. She turned slowly, eyes wide as she stared up at the tall large boy dressed in the male school uniform. His mouth was twisted into a grin as he leered down at her, his expression promising a world of hurt.

"Ushio…" Yuugi whispered.

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 **Thank you everyone for your replies and reviews. It is so interesting to hear everyone's views. People are so different I love it!**

 **A few of you are upset at the question Yuugi asked. I agree, it was a punk thing to say that's for sure.**

 **Also, several of you pointed out that you'd rather be treated without considering gender first. Wouldn't it be nice if everyone was universally kind to everyone else without prejudice!? XD**

 **Lazu, some of your thoughts mirrored my own for a long time and I still go back to them on occasion. Glad I'm not the only one. =D and**  
 **V. Copperhex, I loved your insight on self-confidence tying into this question.**

 **If you're curious on my opinion, it's changed at lot as I've aged going through both extremes. My current view is long and complicated, but in short, I'm like Anzu. I don't feel like I'm being put down at all.  
**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Merry Christmas!**

Chapter 16

Why, out of all the days to run into Ushio was it the day she wasn't with any of her friends? This was exactly the type of reason why Yami insisted on walking home with her. It had been at least a year since Ushio had tried anything, Yami having scared Ushio somehow into retreating. But now she was alone, all too aware of the fact that she was a girl on the deserted streets surrounded by three thugs. It was not the same as when she had been a boy. There was more at stake now, and she hoped that Ushio didn't realize that.

"There's no need to be so afraid." Said Ushio, wrapping an arm around Yuugi's shoulder. She squirmed at the close proximity but was unable to escape his grasp. "We just wanted to have a little talk with you that's all. What with you emerging and all that we haven't had the time to catch up."

"Now's not really a good time…" said Yuugi, desperate to get away from her childhood bully.

"Nonsense." Said Ushio, gesturing at the other two with him. "We are all friends here, and friends always find time for one another."

The other two chuckled.

Yuugi knew how this went. She could play along and get her money stolen from her with only a few kicks, or she could say something, get a complete beating and still get her money stolen. Both didn't sound too good at the moment. She glanced around, upset to see that no one else was in the area. Even if she screamed, she doubted someone would come to help. There was no way to get away unscathed.

"Come." Said Ushio, steering her towards an alleyway, ignoring Yuugi who dug in her heels. Upon reaching the alley, he shoved Yuugi into the wall. She fell hard on her knees, scraping them in the process.

"Now here's the thing." said Ushio, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. "Me and my friends are a little short in cash this month. We were wondering if you could be a good friend and help us out?"

Yuugi gripped the straps on her backpack tightly, swallowing. It would be smart to just give it to them and let them run off.

"No way. You're not my friend Ushio and I don't owe you anything."

Dang. She needed to learn to filter her ego.

Ushio's expression twisted, the calm and ease immediately changing to a dangerous storm. He pulled the cigarette form his mouth, advancing slowly. Yugi couldn't help cowering beneath him.

"What was that you just said?" said Ushio, his voice low. "Sometimes I can't hear too well. I thought you just refused to help us out."

Yuugi swallowed down her nerves, glaring at Ushio. It was useless. She was so small and helpless against him, even more so now that she was a girl. She couldn't over power him. She couldn't out run him with his two goons. There was no way out of this… Unless…

Again Yuugi got a wild idea. She had no clue if it would work, but she had seen more than one girl get out of trouble using this strategy. How did it go again?...

Yuugi let the tears she had been forcing back all day pool in her eyes. She kept her chin tucked down, eyes peering up through eyelashes now dotted with glittering tears. Her bottom lip began to tremble, her whole body soon joining it.

"Y-you're going to hurt me aren't you?" muttered Yuugi, hitching her voice up an octave.

Immediately Ushio stopped sneering. His eyes grew wide, staring at Yuugi while the faintest of pink appeared on his cheeks. The cigarette fell from his limp hand, completely forgotten.

Yes! It looked like it was working. Time for Yuugi to kick it up a notch.

Yuugi burst into tears, scrunching her face in fear and distress. She quickly whipped large tears from her face, careful to appear like she was trying to hid her face, but in reality giving him a better look at her large doe eyes that everyone liked to complement her on.

"S-stop crying!" yelled Ushio. The red on his face had evolved to a full on blush.

"B-but I can't help it." Said Yuugi, her voice trembling as she lied through her teeth. "I was called ugly today by a friend and I can't help but wonder if I'm even a girl. And now you're picking on me, saying that I'm a freak. Why does everyone have to be so mean?"

If Yuugi wasn't in the middle of a fake breakdown turned real from her unstable emotions, she would have bust out laughing at the face Ushio was making. He was sputtering, completely taken off guard by Yuugi's outburst. Dimly Yuugi wondered if Ushio had ever talked to a girl. Now that she thought about it, never once had she seen him interact with one.

The bully finally took a step away from her, spinning to face his two friends.

"Do you know how to make a girl stop crying?" she heard Ushio whisper frantically. They replied in the negative, their discussion soon becoming heated and frantic and they thought of how to comfort Yuugi.

Yuugi slowly let the tears dissolve, whipping them from her face. She could run now, but something told her that would just escalate the problem the next time she saw him. No. All it would take was just one more push and she'd get rid of her bully problem once and for all.

Cautiously, Yuugi took a step forward.

"Um, Ushio-san?" said Yuugi.

The man immediately turned to her, panic still evident in his face. Yuugi gave him a smile, the kind that slit across her whole face and made her eyes squint into two slits. The expression immediately returned to blush on Ushio's face.

"Thank you for listening to me." Said Yuugi, scratching her face in an imitation of being shy. She focused on closing her body posture, knees turned inward, shoulders and arms pulled towards her body. The effect made her appear as small and delicate as possible. "I had been feeling down all day so I'm glad that you were willing to listen and comfort me."

To say the man was surprised would have been an understatement. He gaped at her, mouth wide open. Deciding that she needed to keep control of the situation, Yuugi stepped forward, lightly tugging on the sleeve of his uniform. She shifted her feet, looking down as if nervous again.

"Would you mind... I mean could you walk me home? I'm still not comfortable being by myself."

"Of course!" said Ushio, eager to have some direction in what was going on. He shoved his friends away, telling them to scram while he walked Yuugi home. Then he turned to her, giving what he probably thought was a reassuring smile. It just looked like a twisted leer to Yuugi.

"Thank you!" said Yuugi, some real cheer in her voice. If she was guessing correctly, she had just gained a very powerful ally in protecting herself in the future.

What a strange day this had turned out to be. She'd fought with her best friends and made friends with her lifelong enemy. Well, maybe friends was to strong a term. Flirted? Tricked? Made an ally? Either way, things just kept getting stranger.

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 **Thank you SkyNakama27, EternallyShining, devilface1034, Hiei Dragon Girl, Guest, Bright Eyes Illusionist, I hate the computer, makaylaatw, Lazu, and V. Copperhex for your comments and reviews!**


	17. Chapter 17

**I can't sleep, so here's a present!**

Chapter 17

The whole walk back to her house Ushio was quiet. Well, except for the one time that he did try to talk. He'd had suddenly turned to Yuugi, mouth open, then stayed like that until his whole face turned red from not breathing. She'd put him out of his misery by saying her house was just around the corner if he was concerned about how long it was taking. After that, complete silence.

Yuugi walked the steps to her porch, then turned around.

"Thank you for walking me home." Said Yuugi with a large smile. "I really appreciate it."

"I-it was no trouble." said Ushio, blushing again as he scratched the back of his head. "Hey, so I was wondering. Wouldyouliketogooutwithme?"

It took Yuugi a second to register what he had said. When she did, she blinked in surprise.

"You want to go out with me?" said Yuugi flabbergasted. She knew her acting had been good, but seriously?

Ushio looked sheepish, his cheeks heating up in embarrassment. Yuugi was trying to figure out what she was feeling about the whole situation. The evil vindictive part of her was furious, thinking that someone who had made he life a living hell had the gall to ask her out. But the kind forgiving side of her took pity on the man in front of her that obviously had some issues. So rather than torment him further by having the first girl he had probably talked to since ever sneer in his face, she smiled.

"Ushio, to tell you the truth, I'm not sure how to feel about that." Said Yuugi honestly. "We've been at odds for so many years I don't think I could have a relationship with you so suddenly."

"Oh." Said Ushio, his face falling. "Yeah, I guess you probably hate me."

"Also." Said Yuugi. "What do you think people would say if you suddenly started dating the person you used to torment every day? They'd say you'd been gay and hitting on me the whole time."

Ushio immediately got angry. "If anyone said that I'd-"

"Ushio." Said Yuugi, cutting him off, something she would never have done as a guy. "It shouldn't matter what people would think. I was just pointing it out."

Ushio stared at her, as if the idea of not caring about what other people thought was a new concept to him.

"How about this?" Said Yuugi. She held out a hand. "Since I'm starting new with my emergence, why don't we start again as well? Let's start as friend instead of enemies this time?"

The bully stared at her hand for a full ten seconds before hesitantly reaching forward to shake hers. His large hand practically swallowed hers, but she could feel his relief in the gesture.

"Friends." Said Ushio, a smile on his lips. "Yeah, I think I'd like that."

"I'd like that too." Said Yuugi, withdrawing her hand and waving goodbye. "I'll see you tomorrow Ushio."

Ushio waved goodbye, Yuugi disappearing inside the game shop. She took the back entrance, sneaking into the living room and sliding her backpack off, sitting on the couch with a plop. Her head fell forward into her hands where she let out a long, deep, relieved sigh.

Today had probably been the hardest day in her life. At least it felt like that. Surely the day when she had emerged it had been worse? No, something about today had just been terrible, not including all the crap and stress she'd gone through.

Yuugi got up and went to the kitchen to make a snack for Gramps, not bothering to change out of her uniform. Ten minutes later, she came to the game shop with a sandwiches for him to get him through to dinner.

"Thanks Yuug.." Said Gramps, taking the plate from her. "It's been busy today."

"I can see that." Said Yuugi munching on her own sandwich as she looked at the full store. "Kaiba did launch that new expansion last week. People are probably still hyped over that."

"Probably." Said Gramps, giving her a frown. "Were you bullied on the way home again Yuugi? You're bleeding."

"What?"

Gramps pointed at her legs. She looked down, expecting to see perhaps her scraped knees from the fall. What she did not expect to see was a trail of red running down her legs under the school mini skirt.

Yuugi's entire face turned a flaming red.

 _Oh hell…_

* * *

"Cramps?"

"Check."

"Crying more easily?"

"Check."

"Mood swings and irritability?"

"I think we both know the answer to that one."

Anzu chuckled, looking though the catalog Yuugi had gotten from Mai. Yuugi was lying on the bed, her face planted into her pillows and a hot water bottle resting right below her stomach, which, by the way, hurt like hell. It was strange, because it was like a stomach ache but not. Whatever her new ovaries were doing they must hate her to hurt this bad. They even tormented her like it was a game, making her squirm in pain for a minute before relaxing for a few seconds to only have the pain return. They must enjoy watching her grasp at hope only to snatch it away a second later.

"You know." Said Anzu, pausing at a page. "There are some symptoms here even I didn't know about. Like, I noticed them, but I didn't realize that was because of my period. Like difficulty concentrating. I always blamed it on the cramps though."

"I'd take getting kicked in the nuts any day then this torture" said Yuugi. Then she thought about it. "Actually, maybe not, because that hurt like hell as well."

"The medicine should kick in soon." Said Anzu. "It only takes half an hour for it to start working."

"Marvelous."

Yuugi turned her face on the bed to watch Anzu, who was again flipping through the catalog. The second Yuugi had realized she was on her first period she had called Mai to get help, but the councilor hadn't picked up. Desperate and slightly panicky, Yuugi had called Anzu, praying that her friend didn't hate her. Anzu had answered like normal, never mentioning what had happened earlier that day. She'd rushed over as soon as she'd heard that Yuugi was on her first period.

"I'm sorry." Said Yuugi

Anzu gave her a confused look. "What for?"

"For... earlier today." Said Yuugi, not looking at her. "I said something that was mean. You were trying to help me and I just... It was a dick move."

Anzu gave him a smile. "You'll find yourself making a lot of dick moves while you're PMSing. It's a real thing!"

"I definitely believe in it now." Said Yuugi wincing when the pain increased for a moment. "Gosh, I hate being a girl!"

"I say the same thing at least once a month."

Yuugi sat up on the bed, giving Anzu a serious expression. Anzu was watching her calmly, the teasing gone from her expression as she waited.

"I really like you Anzu." Said Yuugi, blushing to the roots of her hair. "And today in the classroom was defiantly not the way I wanted to make you aware of it. And I sure as heck never imagined telling you while suffering from my first period." Anzu grimaced sympathetically. "I know you would never date me now that I'm a girl, but I just wanted you to know."

"So what happens now?" said Anzu, titling her head at him. "You're not going to ask me on a date?"

Yuugi flinched. "Not when I know the answer. Even I don't want to purposefully break my heart."

"That's too bad." Said Anzu, blowing out a calm breath. "Because I did promise to not change my attitude towards you. I would have said yes."

Yuugi gaped at her. "But, you're not…. You don't like girls."

"True." Mused Anzu. "But I like you Yuugi, and I don't want to ever break a promise to you. And who knows? Just because I've never tried it before doesn't mean I couldn't come to like a girl."

Was Yuugi seriously hearing this? Anzu was willing to go on a date with her even though she had emerged?

"No." said Yuugi quickly, shaking her head. "I can't ask that of you. It wouldn't be right. If there's one thing I've learned today it's that I need to stop looking back and start moving forward. So I want you to look me in the eyes and tell me, with the new Yuugi you see now, would you be interested in going on a date with me?"

Anzu furrowed her eyebrows at Yuugi, troubled. She sat there, eyes flickering back and forth between Yuugi's, hesitating for a full minuet before answering.

"No." said Anzu quietly. "I guess I can't say I would be."

Yuugi knew what Anzu had been doing. She had been giving Yuugi an opportunity to pretend to be a guy for one day. To let her pretend that none of this crap had ever happened to her and have a taste of what things might had been like. Yuugi didn't want to do that to either of them. She should move on, and her feelings for Anzu were a good place to start.

"Still friends?" said Anzu, hesitantly holding up a pinky.

Yuugi smiled, sliding off the bed to link her own pinky with Anzu's.

"Absolutely."

Anzu burst into tears. She reached forward, pulling the stunned Yuugi into a crushing hug.

"Oh Yuugi, I was so afraid you'd hate me!" She said, through her distress. "You're so important to me and when I thought that you might not want to be friends anymore it made me so worried."

"You're important to me too Anzu." Said Yuugi, patting her awkwardly on the back. "So there's no need to get upset. I thought I was the one PMSing."

She received a smack on the back of the head for the comment, but it was worth it for the chuckle as well. Anzu released Yuugi, wiping her eyes and smiling.

"Excuse me for caring about my friends." She said with a pout. "Admit it. You've been freaking out wondering if Honda will hate you for exploding on him."

"It's a legitimate concern."

"Anyway, what are you going to do about it?" said Anzu.

"Go apologize of course." Said Yuugi, running her hands through her hair. "After this encounter with Ushio, I realized how naive I've been about this. I was set in my ways, which wasn't a bad thing, as a man. Now as a female, it's just like Mai said. I'm going to have to rediscover who I am and how I see myself. That includes how I feel about how others see me as well. It wasn't fair for me to take it out on Honda."

"You're a wise man, err, woman Yuugi" said Anzu, nodding. Then her face suddenly split into a huge smile. "I still can't believe that Ushio asked you out. Ushio! Of all people!"

Anzu suddenly burst into a peal of giggles. The sound was so infections that Yuugi joined her, amused to tears by the hilarity of the situation. They laughed and laughed until Yuugi's sides hurt. Then they'd start to calm down, the giggles subsiding until they'd catch each other's eye and start laughing all over again. Some minutes later, they were both smiling, leaning up against the bed side by side.

"Where did you even get such an idea?" said Anzu. "To cry and flirt with him like that? There's no way you just made that all up on the spot."

"Rebeca." Said Yuugi grimacing. "She would always throw a fit and cry when I wouldn't pay attention to her. Then she would say things like how bad her art was to fish a complement from me. Now that I think about it, I've seen a lot of three year olds use the same tactics to get what they want."

Yuugi sat up suddenly, placing her hand on her stomach. "Hey! My cramps went away."

"Medicine must have kicked in." said Anzu, smirking. "Want to get some ice cream?"

"You bet!"

The two went to a store, thoroughly spoiling Yuugi's dinner with sweets and talk about crushes. The day, which had started out so bad, had at least ended on a good pretty darn good note.

* * *

 **Yup, some of you guessed it. Yuugi was on her period.**

 **Thank you for all the reviews! I feel so flattered by the response from the last chapter. It was a fun one to write.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Thank you Bright Eyes Illusionist, Lazu, Unnamed Guests, devilface1034, AnimaniAshley, Hiei Dragon Girl, I am a guest, SkyNakama27, and V. Copperhex for the reviews for the last few chapters. XD**

* * *

Chapter 18

Yuugi's first hurdle for damage control greeted her outside her house the next morning. It came in the form of a certain red eyed friend who stood by the front like usual. Yami raised a hand in greeting.

"Are you done being moody?"

Yuugi rolled her eyes, wondering why she had ever thought Yami would still be upset at her. They'd had much worse fights and blow ups in the past.

"For your information I had a legitimate reason for being upset. That being said, it's no excuse for how I treated you."

"I figured something must have caught up to you." Said Yami with a shrug. "Honestly you were taking this whole emergence thing too smoothly. I thought that either you were a good actor or you'd secretly wanted to be a woman this whole time."

Yuugi considered stepping on his foot on 'accident' as they walked to school side by side.

"So, what happened?"

Yuugi told him about her run in with Honda and then Anzu, up to the point where she had snapped at him. Yami frowned.

"Wait... does that mean Anzu knows how you feel?" said Yami.

"Yeah, she does." Said Yuugi, looking at her feet now. "It turned out the reason why I was so moody was because of-" Yuugi cut herself off. For some reason, she was highly embarrassed to tell Yami that she was experiencing her first period. It was such a strange thing. They were good friends, but maybe not _that_ good of friends.

"Anyway." Said Yuugi quickly. "I called her over to my house and we talked about it. I told her how I felt."

She replayed the important points of the conversation, including Anzu's offer to go on a date and her eventual rejection of her current self. Yuugi felt a kind pat on her shoulder, looking up to see Yami smiling sympathetically at her.

"How are you handling it?" he asked.

"Fine actually." Said Yuugi, and she meant it. True, it had sucked for a little while, but perhaps she had been preparing herself for heart break since her emergence. The rejection hadn't hurt as much as she thought it would have. "I'm just glad that Anzu is still willing to be friends with me."

"I don't think you'd ever have to worry about that." Said Yami. "Sounds like it was an exciting day."

They had reached the school, walking in through the double doors and going to their lockers. There were only a few minutes before the bell rang. As she was grabbing some books for first period, Yuugi remembered something.

"Oh Yeah, and there's something else I have to tell you." She said. "On the way home-"

Yuugi was cut short when she noticed Ushio approach them. Yami had noticed as well, his face shifting to a dark glare.

"Yuugi, it's good to see you." Said Ushio happily approaching.

Before Yuugi could answer, Yami had stepped up in front of her.

"Don't talk to her." Growled Yami. "I thought I told you never to bother her again."

Ushio snapped his attention to Yami, the sweet expression instantly turning to resentment.

"Yami, calm down." Said Yuugi, grabbing his shoulder and tugging at him. "It's fine. Ushio and me are friends now."

Ushio nodded, some of the anger leaving his face as he blushed on meeting Yuugi's eye. Yami didn't notice as he rounded on Yuugi.

"You don't have to pretend it's alright Yuugi." He said, then went back to Ushio. "Look, whatever you have hanging over Yuugi I suggest you think really hard about what you are doing or else you-"

"Shut up and listen to me." Said Yuugi, poking Yami hard in the side. Her friend jolted, rubbing the sore spot as he stared at her. Yuugi ignored him, now addressing Ushio.

"Good morning. It's good to see you as well." She said with a smile. Ushio nodded dumbly, Yami's face turning from rage to an incredulous expression.

"You…"

"As I was about to tell you." Said Yuugi, cutting Yami off short. "Ushio here was kind enough to walk me home yesterday. We decided to start over as friends."

That answer did not make Yami happy. His expression hardened, turning from open rage to simmering anger, the kind where it could either fizzle out or cause a gigantic explosion. Yuugi would prefer the former happened.

"Do you think..." said Ushio, not noticing Yami's dark look. "Could I walk you home today as well?"

"You've got to be kidding me!" yelled Yami.

And so the top blew off instead. Well crap. Yuugi desperately tried to catch the attention of her friend to calm him, but he wasn't listening. He strode up to Ushio, sticking his face into the bully's. Ushio didn't step back, meeting Yami's glare with his own firm one.

"I'm not talking to you Sennen." Snapped Ushio.

"No, you listen to me Ushio." Said Yami. "I don't care what you did to trick Yuugi, but I'm not buying it. Stay the hell away from her or else-"

Yami jerked backwards, Yuugi haven grabbed hold of the back of his collar and tugging with her whole body. As a result, Yami's speech was cut off as Yuugi continued to yank on his shirt.

"Sorry Ushio." She said, smiling at the man. "Give me a second with Yami."

Still holding his collar, Yuugi dragged Yami away and down a less crowded hall. After a few feet, she let go, allowing her friend to trail after her.

"What was that about?" said Yami, the anger still in his voice.

"I met Ushio on the way home yesterday." Said Yuugi, still walking. "He showed up with two of his other friends with the intent to steal my money like usual."

Yami stepped in front of her, forcing her to stop and look at him. He was staring intently at her, but not glaring. Never glaring. She had never once seen Yami mad at her directly. She knew the anger was because he was concerned, but it still didn't stop her from flinching when he spoke in a harsh voice.

"Then why were you defending him?" he said. "We've talked about this before Yuugi. It's not weak to admit when you're-"

"Let me finish my story! Gosh, you need to listen. It's actually amusing when you think about it."

That made Yami pause. She took the moment to continue.

"Like I said, it was all going like usual, he was going to steal my money and such when I came up with a great idea." said Yuugi who couldn't help grinning at this point. "I had been ticked the whole day because people treated me like a girl see? So I decided, well, how about I make him see me as a girl?"

Yami's eyes darkened, but he kept quiet, those sharp eyes focusing on her and only her.

"I basically pulled a Rebecca." Said Yuugi. "I cried and pouted, making the guy freak out. He had no idea what to do with a cute crying girl in front of him." To emphasize her point, Yuugi lower her chin, peering up and Yami and batting her eyelashes at him innocently. Yami's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"After that, he took me home. He even asked me out, which of course I declined saying we should start over as friends and why aren't you amused by this! Isn't it ironic that my childhood bully now has a crush on me?"

"Not one bit." Said Yami, his mood returning to that simmering point again. That was not a good sign "Do you not see how dangerous this situation has become Yuugi?"

"No. I have no idea why you're freaking out like this."

Wrong thing to say. The pot was reaching exploding point again. She was saved, however, by the arrival of Jounouchi, Honda and Anzu.

"Good morning you two." said Jounouchi, hiding a yawn behind his hand. "What's got you all riled up Yami?"

Yami glared at the other three, obviously upset by their interruption. Anzu smiled at Yuugi knowingly, nodding towards Honda, who was not looking at Yuugi. He was hanging back so far it was hard to tell if he was actually included in the group as they exchanged good mornings.

"Don't mind him Jou." Said Yuugi, dodging her friend's morning noogie. "He's just mad because I got rid of my bully probable with Ushio by flirting with him."

Jounouchi and Honda's reactions were priceless. Honda dropped his bag in shock while Jou literally tripped on nothing and fell over.

"The heck!" said Jou. "Please tell me I heard dat wrong. 'Cuase even if I didn't it sounded wrong."

Yuugi just laughed, reaching out a hand to help Jounouchi up. "There's more to the story, but that's the gist of it."

"Man, you're just full of surprises since emerging Yugi." Said Jou, scratching his head. "You'll have to spill the whole thing later, We're going to be late for class."

"Deal."

The guys and Yuugi moved to go to their first class, but Anzu indicated to Yuugi to wait a second. She stayed behind, noticing Yami waiting for her a few feet away, Jou and Honda hurrying since they couldn't afford anymore tardies. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She couldn't tell if Yami was being a good friend or just paranoid at the moment. Instead, she focused on Anzu, suppressing the butterflies at seeing her. It was still slightly strange to be around her since confessing.

"I assume you haven't had time to talk to Honda yet have you?" said Anzu quietly. "Do you want me to help you out at lunch like we planned?'

"Yeah, that'd be great." Said Yuugi. Then she leaned in, lowering her voice. "Also, I think I forgot to bring… you know. Those things with me to school. Do you have any extra?"

"Things?" said Anzu, confused, "Oh, you mean pads! I think I have a few, unless you want to try tampons."

"Not at school." whispered Yuugi, her face flushing. "I should be good until lunch…"

"I'll bring what I have." Said Anzu with a smile. "I'll see you then."

Anzu ran off, hurrying to make it to class on time. Yuugi walked towards Yami, the man turning as the two of them walked to class. She kept her face forward, fighting her blush and butterflies in her stomach. After a few seconds though, she found it strange that Yami wasn't saying anything, especially since he usually took moments like this to lecture Yuugi about whatever it was he was bother by.

What she did not expect to see upon glancing at him, was a bright blush stretching across his face. What the heck? Since when did Yami blush? She couldn't remember the last time he had turned red ever! What had set it off?

Yami noticed her staring, turning his head further away from her. The red increased, spreading to color his ears. Yuugi's own blush intensified as she realized what had set it off.

It looked like her friend had overhead her conversation with Anzu. Now Yami knew she was on her first period. Talk about awkward!

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 **devilface1034: Will there be other ships? yes, though I'm not sure which ones yet. I'm also not sure if they will just be implied or actually confirmed. I like to keep my options open.**

 **AnimaniAshley: There's your answer to pads vs tampons for Yuugi. XD**

 **Thanks for reading everyone! And Happy New year's eve! Make sure to Party responsibly!  
**


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"Yuugi, I'd like to speak with you."

Yuugi suppressed the urge to sigh. Apparently Yami had gotten over his initial embarrassment and was ready to lecture her. They were in math, the teacher having given them an in-class assignment everyone had already finished. The rest of the period was for them to do as they liked, which meant Yami had his opening.

Yuugi turned in her seat to face her friend, crossing her legs onto the chair. She knew what was coming, but that didn't mean she was looking forward to it. The rest of the class was noisy with other people talking so their conversation would go unnoticed.

"I know what you're going to say Yami." Said Yuugi, "Don't worry. I'm not going to do anything stupid like go on a date with him."

"That's not the only problem here." Said Yami, lips drawn in a tight line. "I know you're sensitive to the topic, but there are some changes that need to be made now that you're a girl."

"I know."

Yami blinked at her simple response.

"What, you thought I was going to blow up at you?" said Yuugi.

"Honestly, yes."

Yuugi chuckled. "I probably would have yesterday. In fact, I did. But now I agree with you. Being a girl changes everything and I need to accept that."

"Not everything." Said Yami solemnly. "That's not what I am trying to emphasize."

"I know." Yuugi sighed. "You're trying to tell me to be more aware of my situation as a girl. Which means no late night walks or going home alone correct?"

"Something like that."

"Has anyone every told you that you worry like a mother hen?"

"Someone has to, or else you'd get taken away by the first stranger that offers you candy."

"I do like sweets…"

Yami grimaced while Yuugi chuckled. The man was too serious. Worrying about her was more like a hobby at this point. She was infinitely glad to have him as a friend and while it stunk that even Yami had made some changes, she didn't feel insulted by them. It felt like Yami was helping both of them adjust, not afraid to talk things through with Yuugi and tackling them head on rather than skirting around the problems.

"I wonder." Said Yuugi, thinking out loud. "What would it have been like if I had just pretended to be a guy for the rest of my life. Would anything have changed? Would I have changed?"

These questions and more had started dancing in Yuugi's head recently. Was she even the same person anymore? Fear had been bubbling up inside of her and she knew if she didn't express her concerns to someone, it would blow up in her face like this latest issue had.

"It's hard to say." Said Yami, rubbing his chin. "But there are some physical differences between men and woman that can't be denied. For example, men's bodies are built for strength, whereas woman are built to withstand pain and trauma from childbirth. They are also wired to be more emotionally empathetic than men in general."

Yuugi blinked at the information. "You sure know a lot about the differences between men and woman. Were you reading those blogs again?"

"I'm been having a few discussions with my parents about these topics recently." Yuugi noticed that he didn't answer the questions and smirked at him. "All in all, your body does effect certain aspects of who you are and what you feel. Especially hormones. Those mess with you like crazy if they are off balance."

"So you're saying I am a different person." Said Yuugi, her spirits sinking.

"Not at all" said Yami with a shrug. "Those are just general facts. They differ depending on the individual."

The comment didn't help cheer her up.

Yami's expression softened. He placed a hand on top of Yuugi's own. She could feel the comfort and warm coming from the simple gesture. Yuugi immediately started calming down, a talent that only Yami possessed.

"Change is hard for anyone Yuugi." Said Yami. "And it all came at once for you, but you don't have to push things. You've got your friends here to support you. Don't keep it all to yourself. No matter if you are a boy or a girl, to me, you will always be my best and irreplaceable friend."

It was amazing how he knew exactly what she needed to hear. The hand on top of her own gave a light squeeze, then withdrew, leaving with her a sense of strength and confidence.

"Thank you Yami." Said Yuugi, a wide smile stretching across her face. "For listening and everything. I'll say it again; I wouldn't be able to make it through all this crap without your help."

"Anytime Yuugi." Said Yami with a kind smile. Then it changed to a serious expression. "Now about Ushio…"

Yuugi cut him off by smacking her with her workbook. "I got it, _mom_. I'll brush my teeth and do my homework. Oh, and be careful around the bully. I would have forgotten if you hadn't told me."

Yami was not amused.

* * *

 **Thank you guys for your reviews! (Which I still can't see yet cause of FF bugs, but I'm sure they were lovely!) XD I'll answer any questions in the next chapter.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Reviews still aren't showing up mah friends. =P Hopefully it will all be fixed, but never fear! I will continue to update and will not hold my chapters hostage. XD**

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Chapter 20

Lunch came in the usual form of people hurrying to be first in line for food, only to complain about the quality of the mashed potatoes a second later. The tables filled up with excited students, people sticking with their friends or breaking tradition to sit with new ones. Luckily none of Yuugi's friends decided to venture elsewhere. That made her plan easier to implement.

She sat down by Ryou and Yami, chatting animatedly with the albino about the latest book series the two of them had finished.

"I don't know Yuugi." Ryou was saying. "I felt like the death scene was forced. As if the author did it just to prevent the ending from being predictable. It was so disappointing. There was a perfectly good character that needed to be redeemed that could have died - that would have died - but instead she chose to go with the main character just for shock value."

"You think way too deeply about books." Said Yuugi. "Just enjoy the story for what it was. It made me tear up!"

Ryou shrugged. "I can't enjoy it when the author is pulling cheap tricks just to get a reaction from the readers."

"It's your life." Said Yuugi, taking a bite from her sandwich. "But you have to admit, it was well within her character to do that so the ending was believable."

Ryou nodded, indicating he agreed. A small wave caught Yuugi's attention. Anzu was smiling at her, giving her the _look._ Seemed like now was a good time. Everyone had just sat down, the table noisy with talking high spirits. Jounouchi was currently trying to bully Yami into trading his raisin cookie for Yami's chocolate one. Honda was laughing with them, gloating over Jounouchi the fact that he got a chocolate one as well. It was the usual busy happy atmosphere, at least until Honda met Yuugi's eyes. The brunet looked away hurriedly, scrunching his face in discomfort.

"I'll be right back Ryou." Said Yuugi, standing up and grabbing her bag. "Bathroom."

She hurried away, quickly slipping into the girl's bathroom. After taking care of her feminine business, Yuugi opened her bag, slipping out the familiar boys uniform. For a moment, she held it in her hands, feeling oddly reminiscent of the thing. She hadn't had the heart to throw it away after emerging and today she was glad for her hesitation. She quickly slipped it on, throwing the rest of her clothes into the bag. She tied her hair back into a low pony tail, then checked to make sure no one else was in the bathroom.

Once sure the coast was clear, she slipped out, checking her reflection in the mirror. It was kind of a shock to see herself dressed in this uniform again. What was even stranger was how odd it felt to see herself dressed like this. It was obviously a part of her past now if her subconscious was confused by the reflection. Huh, guess that meant she felt more like a girl than a guy now.

Tucking a stray strand of blond behind her ear, she left the bathroom, going down the corridors towards the vending machine. Once there, she immediately spotted who she was looking for, grabbing drinks from the machine. Anzu had great timing with her request for drinks.

"Want some help?"

Honda jumped, then spun around to look at Yuugi. He blinked several times, still stooped and clutching several drinks in his arms.

"Yuugi?" he said hesitantly.

Yuugi gave him a big toothy grin. "You're actually looking me in the eye. That's a good start."

Immediately Honda was broken form his daze, straightening up and blushing. Thankfully he didn't look away, instead gazing at her with remorse.

"I'm really sorry Yuugi." He said. "I know I shouldn't be conscious of you, we've been friends forever, but I can't get over you being a girl."

"You have nothing to apologize for." Said Yuugi walking up to him and giving him a tap on the shoulder. It was a mark of his effort that he didn't jump backwards. "I know you're terrified of girls. I was just taking my frustrations out on you. I'm really sorry about that. I understand that it will take you a while to act normally around me."

Honda smiled, and Yuugi wanted to jump in glee over the fact. It had been way too long since she had seen him smiling in her direction.

"By the way." Said Honda, the smile slipping into confusion. "Why are you wearing your old uniform?"

"Why, to talk to you of course!" said Yuugi, holding out her arms and spinning. "I figured that if you saw me like I was before becoming a girl you'd feel more comfortable talking to me. I can't always wear it, but at least when I apologized I wanted you to look me in the eyes."

Then Yuugi got an idea.

"Hey Honda, what if I help you overcome your fear of girls?"

"What!?"

"Think about it!" said Yuugi excitedly. "I'm like half guy in some ways, so it can work. If I dress up like a guy than you can slowly get used to being around girls. What do you think?"

"I don't know..." said Honda, looking hesitant.

"Oh come on." Said Yuugi, smirking in her best impression of Yami. The infuriating one that said you knew everything the other person was trying to hide. "I know you've got a crush on Jou's sister. Don't you want to get closer to her?"

Honda was immediately flustered. "I don't…"

Yuugi laughed, then quickly grabbed his hand into her own. Honda jumped, but to his credit he didn't pull away.

"Come on Honda. This is your best shot at finally getting rid of your fears."

"I-"

Honda's face was becoming redder by the second. He finally cracked, yanking his hand from Yuugi's and backing up slowly. Just when Yuugi was sure he wasn't going to respond. The brunet nodded.

"Yeah..." he said. "That's be great.. Yeah."

"Awesome!" said Yuugi, face splitting into a wide grin. She was so excited that she couldn't help it. She grabbed Honda and gave him a hug. The teen froze, a visible ripple of goosebumps running through his whole body before he successfully wiggled out of Yuugi's grasp, dropping half of the drinks as he ran away. Yuugi couldn't help laughing.

"You'll get used to me one day!" she yelled after her retreating friend.

Still chuckling, Yuugi grabbed the dropped bottles from the ground, straightening to see Marik at the end of the hall.

"Wow Yuugi." Said Marik with a grin. "You're quite the natural flirt."

"Hello to you too Marik." Said Yuuugi, holding out the dropped drinks. "Can you go bring these to the gang? I have to go change."

"I know what you're trying to do Yuugi." drawled Marik, looking bored.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Said Yuugi, smiling through her lie. She was constantly trying to include Marik in their group, inviting him to hang or making him talk to her friends. She really liked Marik and wanted him to branch out with other people instead of just Yami and her.

She had never seen him talk to anyone else. He had to be lonely. Marik's family was, after all, connected to the Sennen's in some way she had forgotten a long time ago. That meant he came from a rich influential family that intimidated people to stay away. The fact that Yami like him said something about his character. Yami couldn't stand most of the _'pompous, spoiled, high and mighty pricks'_ he liked to complain about.

"That innocent face is a lie." Said Marik, but he took the drinks, waving them at Yuugi as he walked back into the lunch hall. Yuugi couldn't help grinning, walking back to the bathroom to change back into her girl's uniform.


	21. Chapter 21

**Yay I can see them now! Thank you guys, Lazu, AnimaniAshley, Hiei Dragon Girl, SkyNakama27, DisneyGirl10,** **idea . getthe and devilface1034 for your awesome reviews! No worries Lazu, school is a punk and consumes all! I'm glad that some of you think I'm funny. I do mah best! And not to worry AnimaniAshley, no stone will be left upturned by the end of this all! (hopefully). Also, idea . getthe, not to worry. There's no way I'm letting that potential plot go to waste.**

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Chapter 21

"Jou, you're using the wrong formula."

Jou cursed, bringing the paper close to his face and squinting at it. "No, I'm not! Look, it's a square triangle! I'm using the correct formula."

"That's not all that determines which one you use." Said Yuugi, grabbing the wrinkled paper from her friend. "And it's not even a square triangle. Do you see that box thing on it that tells you it's a 90 degree angle?"

"But it looks like one."

Yuugi wanted to laugh at her friend. In some ways, Jou was insightful with his homework, finding unique and often overly complex ways to solve the problems. Honestly It was just a kind way for her to say that Jou put lot of effort into his assignments. The effort just wasn't always well spent effort.

Jou grumbled as he erased his work, crinkling the paper further from its repeated exposure to the easer. Yuugi gave him the correct formula to use then returned her attention on her own project.

Her, Jounouchi, Honda, Yami and Marik had all come over to her house to work on different homework assignments together. Anzu hadn't been able to make it because of work, and Ryou wanted to go home to see Bakura, which was understandable since Bakura tended to pop up and leave at random intervals.

Yami currently sat in one of the single armchairs, a book on his lap and the end of a highlighter resting against his lips in thought. He looked especially studious as his crimson eyes silently moved back and forth across the pages of the book, occasionally marking a passage.

Marik was busy cackling at Jou's problem solving skills, reading manga and doodling on his supposed 'art' assignment. Yuugi had no idea what it was actually supposed to be and didn't bother asking. She knew he was just waiting to be asked, but she feared the response if her glances at the image told her anything. She was honestly surprised he had accepted her invitation to come study with them. She couldn't help grinning with pride at her successful attempt to bring him closer to the group.

Then there was Honda.

Yuugi and Honda were working on their Macbeth project that was due tomorrow, scrambling to get it done. She had changed into her guy's uniform once she got home in the hopes to help him relax. So far she had done over seventy percent of the homework simply because Honda couldn't concentrate for more than one minute before freezing. Well, one minute was better than nothing. She honestly didn't mind since she rather enjoyed the story, even if it was depressing.

"By the way Pharaoh." Said Marik, leaning back and glancing at Yami. "Are you going to the party tomorrow or are you going to ditch it?"

Yami's eyes lifted off the book, giving Mark an annoyed grimace. "Please stop calling me that."

"There's a party?" said Jounouchi, looking excitedly at Marik. "Why hadn't I heard about this?"

"Because it's only for the most elite of the elite of pricks" said Marik. "Bunch of a$$ kissing businessmen that enjoy peering down their noses at the less fortunate."

"So… that means Kaiba is going to be there." Said Jounouchi.

"The king of the apes himself." Said Marik with a grin. "Still want to go?"

"Hell no." said Jou, returning to his homework, adding a new level of frustration to his current emotions and grumbling at his homework "Suite and ties don' fit me anyway."

"Anyway." Said Marik, redirecting his attention to Yami. "Are you going or not? You didn't answer the question."

"I've got no choice." Said Yami, sighing and lowering his highlighter. "My parents are making me go."

Marik grinned, his expression turning into an evil leer. "Good, maybe we can be each other's dates. I bet it would help scare off Miss Priss if she thought you were into men."

This part of the conversation sparked Yuugi's interest enough that she stopped concentrating on her homework. She just caught Yami sending a dark warning glare in Marik's direction.

"Is Vivian still bothering you Yami?" said Yuugi.

Yami's attention turned to Yuugi. He was about to answer when Marik jumped up, scattering his art project and several other papers. Jou cried out in frustration at the mess.

"I know Yami!" he practically shouted. "Why don't you just bring Yuugi as your date?"

"What!?"

Marik effectively had the attention of everyone in the room. Even Honda snapped out of his daze to stare at Marik in confusion. Marik was smirking as if he had just peaked at his Christmas gift early, pointing an outstretch finger at Yami. "It's perfect. You would have an excuse to avoid melons and everyone else at the same time if they think you had a girlfriend. Plus, it would be a great time for you to make your intentions-"

"If you finish that sentence, I'm going to tell everyone here about your current crush." Yami cut in sharply, then he smirked. Marik's face had turned completely white. "Oh, you think I didn't notice? It's kind of hard not to when you keep pining after them. Maybe they're the one you should be asking on a date. Were you hoping to make them jealous by going with me?"

"You're not going to say anything are you? If you say something I'm going to-"

"Relax Marik, you forget that I like you so I won't intentionally screw you over." Said Yami, returning to his book. "Your methods are too roundabout. Take your own advice and just ask them out. Who knows, they might say yes. Oh, and I already asked Yuugi if she wanted to go and she said no."

Marik's head whipped towards Yuugi, staring at her. "You turned pretty boy down? Why?"

"It doesn't seem like my kind of crowd." Said Yuugi, frowning at him. "Besides, I've got to help my grandpa with the shop."

It wasn't the first time Yami had invited her to one of those kind of things, but she had never gone. She felt strangely small compared to Yami whenever she was reminded how wealthy he was. It didn't affect how she treated him, but it did make her uncomfortable. The first time Yami had come by her house in a limousine she had sputtered until the thing had left. Since that first time, Yami hadn't come by car again. He'd probably noticed.

"Got stuck being a good boy and helping grandpa eh?" said Marik, crossing his arms and frowning. "It would be so much easier if I had an accomplice too…"

"Don't." interrupted Yami, who hadn't even looked up from his book. "Whatever you're planning, I'm not going to be involved and neither is Yuugi. Just return to your crayons and finish your picture."

The next hour was completely unproductive as Yami and Marik bickered, especially when Marik finally told them what his art project was a depiction of. Yuugi had been witness to Marik's eccentricities before, so she wasn't surprised, but she did feel sick after hearing the gruesome tale of the picture. Even Honda looked like he was about to hurl.

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 **It's been a long time since I've taken geometry or any sort of math...  
**

 **Thanks for reading! Reviews=Love XD**


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"Yuugi, can I have you come over here for a second?"

"Sure gramps." Said Yuugi, picking herself off the floor. The rest of the gang were still working on their homework, or at least some of them were. She followed her grandpa to the door of the store, pausing beside him. He was wearing that face that told Yuugi he wanted something done or else ' _you will be in trouble'_.

"Look Yuugi." Said Grandpa, "I know you're still adjusting to your emergence and all that, but I'm starting to feel really sorry for her."

"Her?"

Yuugi blinked, then realized who he was talking about. Yeah, she had been avoiding that for a multitude of reasons.

"Is she here again today?" said Yuugi, slouching. Her grandpa nodded and she groaned, but a part of her twinged with shame. She _had_ been avoiding her. Now was as good a time as any to drop the bomb.

"Fine, I'll go talk to her."

Her grandpa nodded approvingly, letting her pass. Yuugi had barely come out from behind the counter when a small blonde girl tackled her in a tight hug, delighted squeals coming from her.

"Yuugi Muffin! I'm so glad to see you finally. I was so worried."

 _I will not throttle her. I will not throttle her…_

"Sorry Rebecca." Said Yuugi, just managing to pull the excited young teen off of her. "I've been busy with things…"

The short blonde was sporting her usual puffy pigtails and pout today, eyes filling with those also familiar tears.

"You could have called me!" she cried. "Don't you care about me at all?"

And there was the crying. It was any wonder Yuugi put up with her anymore. But then, Rebecca was a spoiled little girl that had _no_ idea what restraint meant. It wasn't entirely her fault she hadn't learned the world did not revolve around her. Some of the other customers were sending them weird glances, wondering what was going on.

"Come with me Rebecca."

Yuugi led her to the back storage room where she could cause a fuss without inconveniencing the store. Yuugi grabbed a handkerchief, handing it to the girl who dabbed at her eyes.

"Look Rebecca." Said Yuugi, sitting down on one of the chairs. "Things have just been… hard to adjust to. As you can imagine, it's been quite crazy."

"What do you mean?" said Rebecca, blinking at her in confusion. It was then that Yuugi realized she was still wearing her boys uniform. Well crap, this might make things harder. Or maybe it made it easier.

Bracing herself, Yuugi spilled the beans.

"I emerged Rebecca. I'm now a girl."

The girl froze, eyes widening to the size of saucers as she stared at Yuugi. Her mouth opened and closed silently. Yuugi watched, just letting her react until Rebecca finally jumped up, her surprise turning to anger.

"You can't have emerged!" said Rebecca. "You're lying! I don't believe it!'

"It's true." Said Yuugi, grimacing. Rebecca was taking about as well as she would have suspected, which was not well at all. "I can give you proof. I can go change into my girl's uniform if you want me to."

Rebecca shook her head, slowly backing away from Yuugi. "No, it's not fair. We were going to get married! I was going to be your wife! I don't want you to be a girl." And there were the tears, spilling from the girls face.

Before Yuugi could say anything, Rebecca had sprinted from the room.

"Rebecca!'

Alarmed at her behavior, Yuugi quickly followed, only catching the door to the shop swinging open with a soft 'ding' as she left the shop.

Yuugi shook her head, suddenly exhausted. Well that went well. Why did everyone freak so bad when they found out she had emerged. Since when had her life turned into a soap opera?

* * *

"What was that all about?"

Yuugi sighed, walking back into the room with her friends. Honda and Jou were packing their stuff, no doubt getting ready to leave.

"Just Rebecca. She got mad and left because I'm now a girl."

"Wow, what a drama queen." Said Jou.

"Funny that you say that." Muttered Yami under his breath.

"You're the one that freaked out first!" said Jou, bristling at the comment.

"Oh, I've got to hear this. What happened Pharoah?" said Marik, a gleam in his eye.

While Yami recounted the first encounter- with lots of interruptions and insults from Jou- Yuugi turned to Honda.

"I think that's as good as we're going to get with this." Sighed Yuugi, stacking the papers on the coffee table. She would have liked go more in depth, but they didn't have the time for it.

"Yeah, I guess." muttered Honda, "By the way, _are_ you alright with Rebecca?

The hesitation in his voice made Yuugi wicked. It was just way too good to pass up.

"No, I'm not fine." Yuugi fake grumbled. She held out her arms wide towards Honda. "My bad mood can only be cured with a hug. Help me Obi One Honda. You are my only hope."

"S-stop teasing me!" called Honda, backing up from Yuugi, who was slowly stepping forward. She waved her arms threateningly at him. For each step towards him the brunet he took a step back. Then he broke, sprinting away as fast as possible for the door.

"I'll just turn in your portion too then!" called Yuugi, grinning. Honda was getting better, truly he was, but it was too much fun at the moment. Perhaps it was her subconscious urge for revenge from when Honda used to bully her. Either way, it was for Honda's benefit so it was all cool. Totally.

"Much like that I assume?" said Marik, pointing towards where Honda had just sprinted.

"Yup. Much like dat."

Jou and Marik said their goodbyes shortly after that, Yuugi walking them to the door. She strolled back into the kitchen, filling up two glasses with water before going back into the living room. She handed Yami one of the glasses, who nodded in thanks before she plopped down on the sofa.

"I'm surprised Marik came with us today." Said Yuugi. "I think that's the first time he's accepted coming to any of our houses."

"I'm as surprised as you are." Said Yami. "I wonder what happened to make him change his mind. Despite how crazy he acts, the man does everything for a reason. He's more calculating then he appears."

Yuugi was genuinely surprised. The last she knew, Yami didn't like people that schemed and tried to pull strings on other people. Yet he liked Marik. She wondered how the two of them had met and became friends.

Her question must have been showing on her face, because Yami smirked at her and said. "We met at an awards center. I caught him doodling on a trophy with permanent marker. We hung out after that and I decided I liked him because he wasn't afraid to call people out on their crap. He's got an intimidating personality which makes people both immediately respect and fear him. If he actually matured a little and stopped hating upper society, he could become a successful businessman."

"He's earned your respect that much is obvious." Said Yuugi with a smile. Anyone Yami respected, she respected as well.

"I'm definitely grateful to have him around." Said Yami with a small smile, his eyes distant as he thought. Based on the way he had said it, Yami was being very sincere with the comment. Yuugi suddenly had the sensation of something heavy dropping into her stomach. Huh, that was odd.

"By the way." Said Yami, his expression changing to that serious one. "I've been meaning to talk to you about Honda and his fear that you plan on helping him with."

"What about it?" said Yuugi, wondering where this was going.

"Just don't overdo it." Said Yami with a grimace. "He doesn't have any immunity to woman. He could end up falling for you if you're not careful."

"What!?"

The statement was so far in left field that Yuugi had to take ten seconds to consider it. Had Yami just warned her to be careful about Honda falling in love with her? Was he being serious?

The laughter that had started to bubble up inside of her stopped when she saw the look on Yami's face. No, he was not joking. In fact, he looked distinctly uncomfortable while saying it, as if he had regretted it.

"You can't seriously think that Honda would fall for me." Said Yuugi, shaking her head. "He has a thing for Jounouchi's sister."

"At the moment, yes." Said Yami. "But the heart can be fickle, especially since he hasn't formed any true bond with her. I'm just saying you should be more aware of your actions."

"You're talking about being aware as a girl again aren't you?" grumbled Yuugi. How many times was this issue going to mess with her life?

"Actually, I'm not." Said Yami. "I'm talking about you as a person. You've never been aware of your appeal to others."

 _Wait... what!_

Yami cocked his head at Yuugi, an amused smirk on his face. "I knew you were unaware of it, but I didn't realize how bad it was until after you emerged. It wasn't a big deal when you were a guy, but as a girl you could quickly get yourself into a bad situation with some creeper."

"Wait wait wait a second." Said Yuugi quickly, holding out her hands at him. She placed her glass on the table, sitting on the edge of the couch to peer at Yami through narrowed eyes. "Are you trying to tell me that people _liked_ me? As in had a crush and wanted to date me when I was a guy?"

The very idea was ludicrous. She was so short to start off with. Then she had never been strong or cool like Yami, her grades were only so so, and did she mention that she looked like an elementary student! Who would want that in a boyfriend?

"I can think of at least 4, no 5 people that would have said yes if you had asked them out." Mused Yami, rubbing his chin.

"I hope you're not counting Rebecca in that group because she doesn't count."

"Six now. And even though the number went down for a while after you emerged, it's shot back up, surpassing the previous number."

"You're making this up." Said Yuugi, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I'm not I swear!"

"Then how do you know all this? Do they tell you?"

"In a way, yes." Said Yami "The way they look at you. The way they talk to you. Even the questions they ask your friends about you, but you've never noticed their advances. You treat everyone with the same kindness and attention no matter who they are. They end up backing off and never confessing, choosing to enjoy your company rather than risk the friendship they have with you. Well... all except Ushio, which I honestly don't count."

"Seriously?" said Yuugi, flabbergasted. She would have questioned Yami's sanity if she hadn't been told several times since emerging that she was cute. That, and she _had_ gotten hit on with Anzu. Then there had been Ushio... Was it possible that people actually liked her as a romantic interest?

The thought made her frown. "Now I feel awful for not noticing."

"It's nothing you need to feel bad about." Said Yami, setting down his glass as well. He leaned forward, hands clasped together as he rested his elbow on his knees. "You shouldn't own their feelings or their decisions. They are their own person, it's not your fault what they feel or how they act."

"I guess so." Said Yuugi, thinking about what Yami said. Then something clicked. "Is that why you haven't confessed? To the girl that you like?"

There was no way to mistake the flicker of emotion that went through Yami's eyes. He deliberately looked away from Yuugi, every move cautious. It sparked her curiosity and something twisted inside of her.

"I thought you had forgotten about that."

"How could I forget?" said Yuugi, ignoring her stomach. "This is you we're talking about! But is that the real reason then? You're afraid of losing their friendship? Don't they know how you feel?"

"No, I'm sure they have no idea." Said Yami, glancing at her and smirking. "But I'm not sure they would reject me. They might say yes because of who they are. Because they would feel bad for rejecting me."

The statement made Yuugi angry.

"What the heck!" said Yuugi. "That must be so frustrating! Feeling that way and not being able to say anything and all for the sake of your friendship. I don't care who they are, I no longer support your love. They don't deserve you if they can't see how much you care about them. I can't like her- and stop smiling at me like that! I know that smile! It's when you know something I don't and you're mocking me."

"I'm not mocking you." Said Yami, trying and failing to remove the smile from his face. "I was just thinking about how somethings will never change."

"Is that an insult or a complement?"

"Defiantly an insult."

Yami grinned farther as she pouted, crossing her arms and leaning back with a huff.

"The point is Yuugi," Said Yami. "Is that it is my choice to say something or not. Don't think bad of them since I haven't given them the option to reject or accept me."

They fell into silence, Yuugi deliberately keeping quiet to study Yami. The man was now looking down, mouth drawn in a slight frown as he thought.

 _But now you're thinking about confessing aren't you?_ Thought Yuugi, recognizing that expression on his face. It was the face he made when he was making a hard decision. Perhaps he was actually going to confess.

It should have made Yuugi happy to think about her friend getting a girlfriend, but it didn't. She couldn't ignore the churning of her stomach anymore. Ever since she had learned Yami liked someone, there had been a little something nagging in the back of her head for a while. A nagging of jealousy.

Yami was sure to succeed with whoever he confessed to, of that Yuugi had no doubt. Yami was Mr #1 desirable in the school for a reason. So what would happen when Yami got a girlfriend? What would happen to their friendship?

It was horrible that a part of her would be envious of her friend since Yuugi didn't any significant other, but she only human. Just thinking about losing him as her closest friend made her sad. Sure, he had said she would always be his best friend, but that was only until Yami found someone to spend the rest of his life with.

With a jolt, Yuugi realized something else. As a guy, they could probably have stayed close friends for the rest of their lives. But as a girl, the girlfriend/fiance/wife could potentially get jealous and uncomfortable if Yami spent lots of time with her. Which of course would be ridiculous, but also inevitable.

Yuugi sank further into the couch, blowing her bangs out of her face with a breath of air. She was doing a terrible job of cheering herself up. She wasn't sure which part of her thoughts had sent into such a bad mood but something had. What a lame friend she was.

Then she blinked, realizing that Yami was studying her. Studying her with a thoughtful expression, confusion and something else haunting his features. What was that about!? Neither of them broke eye contact, Yami tapping his lips with a finger in thought.

Before she could ask what was on his mind, her grandfather walked into the living room. The strange atmosphere was broken immediately

"Yami, you're still here." Said Gramps. "Do you want to stay for dinner?"

"No thank you. I think it's time for me to go home." Said Yami, grabbing his stuff quickly. "I'll see you tomorrow Yuugi."

"Alright."

But as Yami was leaving, something else occurred to her. She jumped off the couch, just catching him at the door.

"You haven't stayed over at my house since I emerged that first night."

Yami paused while putting on his shoes, glancing back at her.

"Your grandpa has been here." He said. "There's been no need."

Yuugi gave him a glare that said just how much she believed that excuse. He sighed, admitting defeat. "You're right. I just thought it wouldn't be appropriate anymore."

"That-"

"Yuugi."

Yuugi turned, surprised that her grandfather had interrupted her. He came out of the kitchen, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Could I get you to start dinner while I talk to Yami?" said her grandpa.

Yuugi frowned, confused, but nodded. She went into the kitchen, glancing over her shoulder to peer at the two of them. Yami looked very uncomfortable.

She quickly set up everything for the rice cooker, sneaking glances at the two of them speaking in hushed tones. Each time she peaked, Yami had a different expression on his face. Fear. Hesitation. What the… Then he was uncomfortable. Surprise. Relief. Determination. Man, whatever grandpa was talking to Yami about it was definitely something huge if Yami had gone through that many emotions in a short amount of time.

A minute later he was gone, giving her a weak wave when he noticed her peeking through the door way. Gramps came into the kitchen, helping her with the food.

"What was that about?" said Yuugi.

"Just something I should have talked to him about a long time ago." Said Gramps, chopping the vegetables. "Also, I let him know it's alright for him to stay the night. I know you get lonely sometimes when I'm away."

Yuugi grinned. "Thanks gramps! You're probably the only person that could have convinced him it was alright."

Grandpa gave her a nod. "So Yuugi. Tell me how it went with Rebecca."

"Uh. Let's not talk about that."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

 **Seems like everyone is going back to school. I go back soon as well so updates will slow down soon. And thanks guys! Over 100 reviews. Woot! When will the romance portion kick in? (DisneyGirl10) it's coming I promise. Give it a few chapters. Yami has to work up the nerve, the lil cutie! XD  
**


	23. Chapter 23

**Thanks to my wonderful reviewers! AnimaniAshley, Bright Eyes Illusionist, Mistoka, SkyNakama27, Hiei Dragon Girl, guest, Neko-May Resha, Lazu, and DisneyGirl10! I'm glad you enjoyed that last chapter so much Mistoka. I had that conversation written for a while before I posted it. Also, for all those that want to know what the conversation with gramps entailed, don't worry you will see it.**

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Chapter 23

Yami was not a person that expressed his feelings overtly. Compared to Yuugi, whose every emotion was written all over her face, Yami's thoughts were sometimes impossible to interpret. Yet thanks to years of friendship and seeing each other through all sorts situations, she could tell that Yami was in an absolutely _terrible_ mood.

"The party was that bad huh?" said Yuugi to her friend as they walked to school. Yami hadn't spoken since they left her house, hands stuffed into his pockets while his expression gave away nothing he was thinking. She instantly recognized it as his default mask for when he actually wanted nothing more than to stab someone.

"Completely insufferable." Yami muttered, expression still neutral. "Never again. I will never go to one of those things again."

"Did Vivian bring her drones with her?"

Yami nodded. "I've never seen them so out of control. Whoever raised them should be ashamed to call themselves parents. They're more like hell hounds than anything else."

Yuugi let him rant, listening to her friend vent his frustrations. By the time they got to school, Yami was actually showing tells of frustration, a good sign. It meant he was getting it all out of his system.

"… and then if that's not enough." continued Yami. "My parents decide to have an important discussion that night. Talk about bad timing. I can take their attempts to act like parents on most days, but they chose to talk to me when I'm already ready to gouge my eyes out."

"You guys fought again?" said Yuugi, instantly concerned. "What was it about?"

Yami's face went back into that neutral expression, giving her a quick glance before smoothly saying "Stuff about school and such. They're just trying to control everything like usual."

Yuugi did not miss the way he hid his emotions from her, but she didn't press him. It would come out if it became too much for him. She'd be there to listen if it did.

There was a surprise in the class room when they entered. Sitting in one of the back most seats was Seto Kaiba, typing away on a laptop. That was unusual. Kaiba usually didn't show up unless they had a test, which there wasn't one today.

No one stood near him, an invisible bubble surrounding him and warning other to buzz off. Yuugi deftly ignored it. They'd known each other for years. He was Yami's cousin after all.

"Hi Kaiba!" said Yuugi cheerfully, waving at the man.

Kaba glanced at Yuugi, his fingers pausing over the laptop. He took a long look at her, eyes going down and then back up.

"So you really did turn into a girl." He commented, returning to his laptop. "Looks weird on you Mutou."

Yuugi gave a nervous laugh. She should have expected that sort of response.

"Can't you at least pretend to be polite?" said an irritated voice from behind them. Jounouchi had walked in from behind them, scowling at Kaiba. "Or does having all that money exempt you from acting like a civil human being?

"Mutou, please muzzle your dog." Said Kaiba, not looking up.

"I have a name yah stupid prick!" said Jou. "Even toddlers know how to call someone by their name."

"I find it ironic that you, Jounouchi, just implied that I'm immature." Said Kaiba, looking at Jou out of the side of his eyes and then smirking. "I'm not the one with a mustard stain on his shirt."

Jou glanced at his shirt before looking up to scowl at him. "Can it moneybag! We can't all afford personal maids."

Yuugi shook her head as the two continued to argue. Seriously, she couldn't understand those two. Every time they were within ten feet of each other they'd start biting each others heads off. It was becoming repetitive.

"I'm starting to wonder if those two don't secretly like fighting with each other." Said Yuugi to Yami as they took their seats, ignoring the raised voices of Jou and Kaiba.

"You only just now realized that?" said Yami, looking at her with surprise. "I thought it was obvious."

"You mean they _do_ enjoy fighting? I was kidding."

Yami gave a wry smile. "Kaiba must have had a bad time last night as well if he decided to come to school today."

When Yami didn't elaborate, Yuugi turned around in her seat so she was facing backwards. She leaned her body forward to rest her elbow in his desk so he couldn't put anything on it. Placing her chin in her hands, she peered at him with an impatient expression that said, _'are you going to explain yourself or do I have to ask outright?'_

Yami smirked at her, flicking her in the forehead. She jerked back, grumbling at him and rubbing the sore spot with a hand.

"You know Kaiba." Said Yami, placing his notebook on the desk. "He can't stand two-faced people who pretend to be your friend and then extort you a second later. There were plenty of those types at the party yesterday. He comes here to get away and recharge."

"And Jou is the last person to pretend to be anything but what he is." Said Yuugi, catching on. "Then Jou also enjoys direct confrontations and challenges. That means he gives Kaiba what he wants which is someone who doesn't have a hidden agenda."

"Exactly" said Yami. "Well, there is more to it but I don't think you'll catch onto it until someone shoves it in your face. You seem to be rather unaware in that department."

"Again with the insults." cried Yuugi dramatically. "Take care Yami, I might trade you in for another friend if you don't start appreciating me more."

"Appreciating you more...?"

Yami trailed off, narrowing his eyes at her. Something flew by in his expression, moving from surprise, hunger and then to alarm. He shook his head, dispelling whatever had disturbed him in the first place.

Yuugi blinked at him. What the heck kind of response was that? Was it just her, or was Yami starting to act strange?

* * *

"And now you're acting strange."

Ryou gave Yuugi an innocent look. Yeah, it wasn't fooling her. Something was up and she knew it. The two of them were sitting out on PE, the game of basketball too intense for either of them to enjoy.

"Spill." Said Yuugi, nudging him with a foot. "You've got ten seconds to talk before I tell the teacher that you actually would like nothing more than to have a turn in basketball."

"Nothing's wrong Yuugi. Honest." Said Ryou.

Yuugi raised an eyebrow.

"One."

"You're not seriously counting down are you?"

"Two."

"You're a bully, you know that right?"

"Three."

"I'm telling you! Stop counting, geez." Said Ryou, shaking his head at her with a small smile. "Did I also mention that you're nosy?"

"Ryou, if the next words out of your mouth aren't the reason why you're upset I'm going to keep counting."

Ryou let out a sigh, staring out at the game, eyes glazed over in thought. Yuugi studied him, letting the count down go. She had him now. All she had to do was wait. The Albino looked tired, both physically and emotionally. He also seemed to be more pale than usual, though how he managed that was a mystery.

"It's Bakura." Said Ryou, confirming Yuugi's suspicions. Who else could it be but Bakura? He was the only one that could get this sort of emotional response from Ryou.

"Another fight?" said Yuugi. "Did he get in trouble again?"

"No, it wasn't him this time." Said Ryou, his expression becoming bleaker. "This time it's completely my fault, and I don't know how to resolve it. I've… got something that I can't tell him. That I'm scared to tell him, because I don't want him to hate me for it."

Well that was new. Usually it was Bakura doing something dumb that made Ryou upset at him.

"What is it that you can't tell him?"

Ryou shook his head. "Sorry Yuugi, I can't tell you that. If I tell anyone it will need to be him first. I owe it to him."

"Fair enough." Said Yuugi. "What are you going to do about it?"

"I don't know." Said Ryou, sinking farther into the chair. He glanced at Yuugi nervously. "Hey Yuugi… do you think I could stay at your place for the weekend? I... don't want to go back home quite yet."

Well that was huge surprise. Since when did Ryou deliberately avoid Bakura even when they were arguing? This must be serious if Ryou didn't want to go see him.

"Of course." Said Yuugi. "As long as you don't mind it being just the two of us until tomorrow. Gramps is leaving is a few hours and Yami won't be coming to stay until then."

"Some things never change with you two, despite all the craziness." Said Ryou, giving a light chuckle. "That's fine. I think I'll enjoy to calm for a while. Thanks Yuugi, I really appreciate it."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing!**


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Things were strange since Ryou was actively avoiding Bakura. Ryou was a private person who kept things to himself and had a habit of bottling up his emotions until they exploded, making everything worse. What exactly it was that was bugging him, she didn't know, and probably wouldn't have ever found out if she hadn't opened up that door.

Over the years of their friendship, Yuugi had learned when to push her friend and when not to. Sometimes, though, she ignored that feeling because things _had_ to be addressed, no matter how uncomfortable it made Ryou feel.

So even though she could have quietly closed the door to the guest room and pretended to have not noticed, she instead chose to fling it all the way open, making the white haired man, no, the white haired _woman_ jump and spin around. Ryou pulled the half off clothes up to her chest, but it was too late to hide the wrapping and distinctive bulge they were restraining.

"You've emerged!" cried Yuugi, ripples of shock running through her.

"Yuugi!" cried Ryou, her face turning red. "I-I'm changing! Get out!"

"When did you emerge! How long have you pretended to be a guy?"

Yuugi had to duck when a shoe was thrown in her direction. Oh yeah, she should probably let Ryou change in private.

Dropping the extra blankets she had gotten for Ryou, Yuugi quickly shut the door, the soft thump behind her indicating it had blocked the second shoe aimed at her.

 _Oh my gosh!_ Ryou was an emerged girl just like Yuugi. The information sank in, realization dawning on her. That was why Ryou had been acting strange, it was the only conclusion.

The door to the room shifted as the door knob turned. Yuugi tumbled backwards into the room, having been leaning against it and not expecting the door to suddenly open. She stared up at Ryou, who wasn't looking at her, face scrunched in an uncomfortable grimace as she pouted.

"You're allowed to come in now." Said Ryou.

"There wasn't any problem before." Said Yuugi, grinning. "We _are_ both girls."

Ryou shot her a venomous look, turning on her heel to walking back into the room. Yuugi sat up, smirking as she now noticed the little differences. Ryou had always looked feminine so it was harder to tell than it had been on Yuugi, but she could see it now. Softened facial features, a slight bulge on her chest and in her hips. The girl had some fine proportions!

"You make a sexy girl, if I may say so." Said Yuugi, nodding to herself. "And why do you still have your breasts wrapped? I know you're a girl now, so you don't have to hide it. It can't be comfortable to always have them bound like that."

Ryou sat on the ground next to the bed, grabbing a pillow and squeezing it to her chest before flushing.

"It actually feels more uncomfortable for them to not be bound. They're quite… unwieldy."

"I don't think that's the right word to use." Said Yuugi

"It's the best I can come up with. Maybe uncomfortable? Cumbersome?

"Unmanageable?"

"That's the one."

"Not that I'd know. Mine are too small to even be considered boobs."

Ryou tilted her head at Yuugi.

"You're… taking this really well Yuugi."

"I think I'm still in shock is all." Said Yuugi. She stood up, walking to the bed and sitting down beside Ryou.

"So are you going to tell me how long you've been masquerading as a guy?" said Yuugi.

"Would you believe me if I said I emerged the same weekend you did?"

"It's been that long!" said Yuugi stunned. How had she not noticed? The better question was how had no one else noticed? They had seen each other at school all the time.

"Why haven't you come out?" said Yuugi, becoming concerned. "You can't seriously expect to live as a guy for the rest of your life can you?"

"I'll do it if I must." Said Ryou, clenching her jaw in an uncharacteristically firm expression. Since when did Ryou put her foot down like this? There could only be one answer.

"This had something to do with Bakura doesn't it?"

Ryou's eyes widened, confirming Yuugi's suspicions.

"Does he know?" said Yuugi.

Ryou shook her head.

"No. And I don't plan on ever telling him, or anyone else."

"Why not?"

Ryou didn't answer. Normally Yuugi would let things go, but again this was something she _could not_ let slide. She'd be doing her friend a disfavor by not trying to help.

"Look, I don't want to push you or anything and I _know_ how stupid and strange this all is, but I also know that denying what has happened to you is not healthy. You need to accept that you've changed or else you're going to be miserable."

"I don't care." muttered Ryou. "I'll be fine. I just don't want Bakura to find out and hate me."

"Bakura's not going to hate you." Said Yuugi, rolling her eyes. "Did he hate me when he found out I emerged? No. So why would he hate you?"

"It's not the same."

"And how is it not?" said Yuugi. She was getting frustrated at this point. "Do you truly have such little faith in Bakura? Sure he may flip for a bit but I don't think he's the type that would hate you because of this."

"There's more to it than that." Said Ryou, squeezing her eyes shut, the pain obvious in her expression. Then she turned to Yuugi, defeated, as if the world was caving in around her.

"Yuugi… He's my boyfriend."

 _What!_

Yuugi was stunned, trying to understand. If Bakrua didn't know that Ryou was a girl now, that had to mean that they were both…

"How long?" said Yuugi, trying to process the information. "How long have you two been dating?"

Ryou looked down.

"He asked me out at the end of last semester. We've been dating ever since."

"Four months." Said Yuugi, frowning at her friend. "The two of you have been going out for four months and you didn't tell any of us?"

Ryou scratched the side of her face nervously. "Well… Yami kinda figure it out himself."

"Why am I not surprised?" Said Yuugi, putting a hand to her forehead. Yami had been supportive of Ryou spending more time with Bakura these last few months. And there were other things that were all starting to come together as well. The fights, the small smiles at the mention of Bakura's name. The long weekends spent with only the two of them.

"You don't hate me?" said Ryou, her voice timid. "You're not disgusted that me and Bakura are gay?"

"You're technically not gay anymore." Said Yuugi, "And no, there's no way I'd hate you for that. I'm having to redefine my own definition of gender anyway. You two are still my friends and your sexuality could never change that."

While it had never crossed her mind that one of her friends might be gay, Yuugi had no problem with it. She didn't have any belief or principle in regards to the topic since it had never affected her directly, but now that the topic was brought for her to judge she found that she didn't think it disgusting or weird. As long as Ryou was happy, Yuugi was happy for her.

Ryou let out a breath of relief, closing her eyes for a moment.

"Thank you Yuugi. You don't understand how much that means to me."

Yuugi smiled kindly at her before becoming more serious.

"So he doesn't know you've emerged." Said Yuugi, putting things together. "Is this related to the fight you two are having?"

Ryou immediately became uncomfortable again. She started folding in on herself, her large fluffy hair framing her body as she blushed scarlet. Yuugi couldn't help thinking how cute she looked at that moment.

"Well." Said Ryou, eyes darting around the room as if looking for an escape. "A week before I emerged… we sort of slept with each other for the first time."

Yuugi blinked.

"When you say slept with each other…"

"Yes, we had sex."

"Oh."

Yuugi began to rub her temples with her fingers, sighing in exasperation. "So let me guess. After that, Bakura kept bugging you to have sex again, but you kept refusing because you had emerged."

Bakura was an impatient person and very touchy in general. It would make sense.

"You got it." Said Ryou. "He kept trying to… you know. And I've been pushing him away. He finally snapped and I couldn't take it anymore. We never fought like that before."

Ryou looked like she was about to cry.

"Maybe hate is the wrong word." Said Ryou, her face scrunching in pain. "I'm not scared of him hating me. I'm scared of him rejecting me. I don't want to lose him. No, I _can't_ lose him. If he left…"

Tears started to leak from Ryou's eyes. She hastily rubbed them away, giving a loud sniff.

"He's become too important to me Yuugi. I'd rather he hated me for not letting him touch me than reject me for who I am. For who I've become against my own will… I love him too much."

And then Ryou started crying in earnest. Her body shook with suppressed sobs as she whipped away the never ending steam of tears. Yuugi felt her own eyes get misty. She wrapped an arm around Ryou's shoulders as she let the albino cry her frustrations out.

 _Ten bucks says you're on your period as well if your emotions and deathly pale face are any indication_ thought Yuugi as the crying slowed. It looked like it was time to distract Ryou to get her out of her funk.

"You know." Said Yuugi, slowly. "We've completely glossed over the fact that you've lost your virginity before I did. And people call you a prude. Ha! Little do they know that you're dating a pervert."

"Don't call him a pervert." Said Ryou. She straightened back up and grimacing at Yuugi. Her eyes were still red, but the tears had stopped flowing.

"If the shoe fits." Shrugged Yuugi. "You were a guy at one point, you know how these things work. Plus, you were still a guy when you had sex. That means you can honestly give insight about both experiences. Well… at least when you lose your woman virginity as well."

"I can't believe I'm having this conversation with you!" cried Ryou, sinking her head into the pillow on her lap and mumbling "Though you're right about Bakura. He is a pervert."

Yuugi laughed, Ryou soon joining her as they chuckled and took turns coming up with creative insults for Bakura. By the end of the day, Yuugi was happy to say that Ryou went to bed with a smile on her face. Hopefully Ryou's heart would heal and become strong enough to face this hurdle soon, for both her and Bakura's sake.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! Special thanks to Mistoka, Hiei Dragon Girl, IbeWildBella, devilface1034, V. Copperhex, Madolche Anjelly, AnimaniAshley, Bright Eyes Illusionist and SkyNakama27 for reviewing the last few chapters!**

 **Yup, several of you called it. Ryou had emerged. (I had this planned since I first wrote him/her in).**

 **I think that answers the questions about tendershipping. And yes, I have at least implied puppyshipping. Not sure if it will ever be confirmed though.**


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Yuugi spent most of the next Saturday morning distracting Ryou with games and food. Her friend was doing loads better after a good night of sleep, but Yuugi could tell she was still distracted. This was not a problem Yuugi could help solve by giving several prop talks. Ryou was going to have to find a solution herself. In the mean time, Yuugi was going to do everything she could for Ryou. That included getting more food cause they were almost out!

Yuugi took a quick trip to the store, grabbing the weekly groceries using the money gramps had left her. She grabbed some extra since she wasn't sure how long Ryou would be staying, Nor Yami now that she thought about it. He was coming to stay for the weekend and his stays were always hard to gauge.

Briefly she wondered if Yami knew about Ryou's emergence as well as her relationship with Bakura. She wouldn't be surprised if he did.

She was almost home when she noticed someone in front of the shop.

It was Bakura

The man turned as she approached, eyes glaring into hers before he started walking towards her. Well, stomping would be a better description because Bakura looked like he was about to murder someone. That was not good.

Before she could calm him, Bakura grabbed a handful of her shirt. She squeaked, dropping half of her bags.

"Where the hell is he?" growled Bakura. "I know you've got him. You're the first person he'd turn to so tell me where the hell is he?"

"Bakura, calm down." Said Yuugi, trying and failing to calm the enraged man. "And could you please let my shirt go? I'd rather not show off my stomach to the world."

Something dawned in Bakura's face and he quickly let go of Yuugi. She did her best to straighten her shirt while ignoring the man looming over her.

"You've got two second to tell him to come out before I break down your door." Spat Bakura,

"Alright, I get it, just calm down." Said Yuugi, holding up her hands. "Are you looking for Ryou?"

"Who else would I be looking for?"

"Then I can't let you inside." Said Yuugi calmly. She was pushing Bakura, she could tell, but she was not going to rat out her friend before Ryou was ready to face him.

A prominent tick mark appeared on Bakura's head. He leaned forward, shoving his face into Yuugi's personal space as it twisted into a dark grimace. Though she knew Bakura was her friend, in that moment, she wasn't sure if he was going to punch her or not. He was apparently very unbalanced.

"Yuugi Mutou." Said Bakura, voice low. "If you don't open the door this instant I'm going to break it down."

"Then I'll call the police." Said Yuugi, "You're not getting to Ryou unless sh- unless he wants to see you."

"You-"

Yuugi was wrenched forward again as Bakura grabbed her collar, this time almost lifting her off the ground. Fear was starting to settle inside Yuugi. It had been a long time since she had seen Bakura this angry. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to deny him…

A voice yelled out Bakura's name and the man was distracted.

Yami was walking briskly towards them, anger radiating from him. He shoved Bakura away with an arm, the other one wrapping around Yuugi protectively.

"Knock it off Bakura." said Yami. "If I see you do that to Yuugi again, I will not hesitate to put you down."

Bakura let out a laugh, an evil grin spreading across his face. "As if you could take me Yami. Remember what happened the last time you tried? You're lucky I didn't put you in the hospital."

"You sound pretty confident for a weakling."

Bakura twitched, the grin disappearing as he began cracking his knuckles.

"Then put the pipsqueak aside and let's finish this argument right now."

Yami went to move Yuugi, but she didn't budge.

"Please you guys." She said. "Stop fighting. This isn't helping."

"On the contrary." Said Bakura. "I think a good fight is exactly what I need."

Bakura lunged.

Yuugi was pushed aside as Yami dodged the punch, retaliating with his own fists. Bakura deftly batted them aside, getting on good hit into Yami's stomach. Yami staggered backwards, growling as he quickly dodged the next attack, landing a blow on Bakura's face.

 _This is not good, not good at all._

Both men were engrossed in their fight, ignoring Yuugi's pleas to stop. She didn't dare run in between them. She knew much better than to do something that stupid, but she had to stop them before it got too serious. Neither one was going all out yet, but both were terrifying when unleashed. Yami would go into a complete frenzy while Bakura used some wicked looking knives that he was sure to have on his person. This needed to stop, now!

Yuugi sprinted to the house, hands shaking while she unlocked the door and ran inside.

"Ryou!" she yelled. "Bakura is here. He and Yami are fighting. We need to stop them."

There was a loud thud and Ryou came barreling down the stairs, looking haggard.

"What made them start fighting?"

"Bakura was looking for you and I wouldn't let him in. He threatened me and then Yami came and they started fighting."

Ryou swore loudly, making Yuugi jump. Since when did Ryou know those kinds of words?

"I doubt much can stop them at this point then." Said Ryou, going for the door. "But we'll have to try."

They ran outside, the two boys still going at it. Ryou called for Bakura to stop, but he didn't listen, shoving Yami away as he got out of the head lock. It wasn't working. The two of them were in too far, shutting out both Ryou and Yuugi's voice.

Something in Yuugi snapped. She marched round the side of the store and grabbed the hose linked to the house. She came around the side, directing it towards them as she turned it on.

Water sprayed everywhere, dousing the two of them in cold water. They cried out in shock, jumping back from each other.

"What the hell!"

"Turn that off!"

Yuugi released the lever, crossing her arms across her chest and glaring at them. They were both completely soaked, water dripping from their hair and clothes. They were also sporting several cuts on their faces, a few bruises already starting to form.

"What in the world are you two doing!" said Yuugi, "You two hot heads need to stop being idiots and think for a second!"

Yami had the decency to look ashamed. Bakura on the other hand ground his teeth.

"This wouldn't have happened if you'd have just let me see Ryou, Mutou."

"That doesn't give you an excuse to lash out like that." Said Ryou, coming to stand beside Yuugi, looking equally as livid. "Seriously Bakura, what's your problem?"

"That's what I want to ask you." Said Bakura, "Why didn't you come home last night? I was up waiting for you."

Ryou looked away, some of the anger leaving her. "I just needed to think for a while."

"You've done your thinking, now we're going home."

Bakura grabbed hold of Ryou's arm and began pulling her down the street. Ryou squirmed, trying to release Bakura's grip and telling him to let go. Yuugi jumped forward.

"Bakura stop! If Ryou doesn't want to go then-"

"Stay out of this Mutou!" yelled Bakura. "This doesn't concern you."

"But if you'd just calm down-"

"Bakura, let me go! I don't want to go with you!"

"And why the bloody hell not?" yelled Bakura, turning to Ryou. He still hadn't let go of her wrist, but at least he'd stopped dragging her away. "You're the one always getting on my case about not coming home at night. Some hypocrite you turned out to be."

Ryou immediately bristled at the comment.

"That's not the same thing and you know it!"

"And how exactly is it not!"

The two argued back and forth, their comments becoming louder and more hurtful. Yuugi desperately wanted to stop them but couldn't find stop in. There was an air around them that prevented her from doing so. She had never seen Ryou this angry before.

Yami came to stand by her, rubbing the side of his face and wincing.

"Should we stop them?" said Yuugi to Yami.

"No." said Yami, watching with a steady gaze. "As much as I hate to say it, Bakura is right. This doesn't concern us. This is their issue they have to work through."

"Because they're dating correct?"

Yami stared at her in mild shock. "You knew they were dating?"

"Found out last night when Ryou came over."

There was something else Yami wanted to say, she could see it, but a loud _'smack'_ distracted them. Ryou had slapped Bakura hard against the face. Her hands bawled into fists, angry tears in her eyes as she glared at the shocked Bakura.

Yuugi was shocked as well. Since when did Ryou become angry enough to lash out?

"Don't you dare ever say that again!" Ryou yelled. "You're the jerk that keeps leaving me alone without saying anything. I never know what you're doing Bakura and you refuse to tell me. Every time that phone rings I think it's the cops telling me they've arrested you or that they've found your body lying in a ditch. So don't you dare every imply that I'm cheating ever again! Do you have any idea what it does to me when I wake up and find you gone in the mornings? It breaks my heart every time-"

Ryou was cut off, unable to continue.

Bakura was kissing her roughly, forcing his lips onto hers. Ryou attempted to push him away, breaking off for short moments and shouting incomplete words at him, but Bakura was adamant. Eventually her protests slowed, her whole body relaxing as she sank into the kiss.

"Let's leave them be." Said Yami, his voice breaking Yuugi out of her shocked state. "It looks like they're going to be just fine."

Yuugi followed her friend inside the house, glancing behind her to see Ryou leaning into the kiss wearing a soft smile.

* * *

 **Well that's one way to solve a problem.**

 **Thanks for reading! XD**


	26. Chapter 26

**Thanks for the reviews AnimaniAshley, Hiei Dragon Girl, Guest, ForeverWildfire2.0, SkyNakama27, IbeWildBella, Mistoka. I think this next chapter will answer your question Guest. :D  
**

* * *

Chapter 26

"Thank you for letting me stay." Said Ryou, giving Yuugi a firm hug. She returned it with just as much enthusiasm.

"I'm glad you two are working through this." Said Yuugi, releasing Ryou and smiling at her. "Just don't make him wait too long. He deserves to know the truth."

"I know." Said Ryou. "Don't worry. I'll tell him. Talking to you helped a lot."

"And I'll be here to help when you're ready to tell everyone else."

Ryou's smile increased as she thanked Yuugi again.

"Yes yes." Said Yuugi impatiently. "Now hurry up and go home with your BF. We wouldn't want him catching a cold from his wet clothes. Then again, maybe you do. It would give you an excuse to pamper him the whole weekend."

Ryou gave a light chuckle, grabbing her stuff and heading out the door. Yuugi stayed on the porch for a moment, watching Bakura and Ryou walk away together, hand in hand and looking like the perfect picture of a stupid couple in love.

Still smiling, Yuugi closed the door and made her way into the kitchen to put away the rest of the groceries. She had just finished when Yami walked into the living room, hair damp and hanging limp from his shower. He was wearing a simple pair of skinny jeans and a black tank top, a towel slung over his shoulder.

"Did Ryou and Bakura leave already?" said Yami, taking a seat on the couch.

"Of course they did." Said Yuugi, coming over to Yami and grabbing the towel off of him. "I would have chased them away if they had made out on my front porch for longer than ten minutes. And how many times have I told you to dry your hair properly? The whole point of you taking a shower was to stop you from catching a cold, not giving you one."

Yuugi began drying Yami's hair with the towel, running the fabric smoothly over his dark locks.

"And how many time must I tell you, I like it when you dry my hair." Said Yami, eyes closed. "It's relaxing."

"I have half a mind to let you do it yourself after that stunt you pulled in the front yard. What were you thinking?"

Yami didn't answer, eyes still closed.

Yuugi sighed, continuing her treatment of his hair. The minutes went by, the room silent except for the rustle of fabric. She finished up with what she could managed with only a towel. He'd need a hair dryer for the rest.

She rounded the couch, grabbing the first aid kit she had brought out earlier and sat down. The movement caused Yami to open his eyes.

"What are you doing?" he said.

"I'm going to treat you." Said Yuugi grabbing the disinfectant from the kit. "We wouldn't want to scar your pretty face now would we?"

"You think I'm pretty?"

Yuugi smacked him on the head.

"Ouch, you're supposed to heal the patient not hurt them."

"Not when the patient is being stupid I don't have to. Now hold still."

Yuugi began cleaning off whatever Yami hadn't washed off in the shower. The largest wound was a cut that extended through his eyebrow. The left side of his jaw was also a little purple. She'd have to get ice for that soon.

As she worked on the cuts, she noticed Yami watching her. She ignored it for the first minute before she couldn't take it anymore.

"What is it?"

"Do you really not mind Ryou and Bakura being gay?"

Yuugi put the disinfectant down, grabbing a bandage for the cut.

"Of course not." Said Yuugi, placing it gently on his face. "He's my friend and I love him no matter what he decides to do with his life."

"That's not what I'm talking about."

"I know what you're talking about." Said Yuugi. "You're asking if I think it's morally wrong or secretly don't approve but won't say anything."

She finished placing the bandage on his face, taking a moment to examine her work. It looked good to her. Yami was still looking towards her, crimson eyes waiting for her response.

"To answer your question, It's never crossed my mind before, but I can't find myself hating it." She shrugged. "Love come in all forms and sizes. I'm not even sure what's expected of me now that I've emerged. How can I judge someone when I don't even know what I am anymore?"

"So you have thought about it." Said Yami.

"Not until recently." Said Yuugi. She took hold of Yami's hand, grimacing when she saw how torn up his knuckles were. "I hate to tell you this Yami but your hand modeling career is over. Seriously, why are the two of you so hot headed?"

"Bakura's the one that started it. Now finish your thought Yuugi, or am I going to have to wrench it out of you?"

"You seem rather curious about this." Said Yuugi with a smirk, grabbing the disinfectant again. She did her best to clean these wounds up without hurting him, but she saw him flinch more than once. She muttered a _sorry_ through clenched teeth, as if it were her own hands that hurt.

"Ever since Anzu rejected me, I've been wondering about my sexuality." Said Yuugi. "Am I expected to like men, or is it alright for me to still like girls? Obviously it is, but that would create another set of problems related to same gender attraction. Where am I even going to find a girl that would like a late emerged girl like me?"

"I've told you before" Said Yami. "There are plenty of people that like you as a romantic interest. You just haven't noticed them."

"So you say." Said Yuugi, wrapping up his hand. It was a little tricky because of the uneven surface. "But besides Ushio and Rebecca- who have major issues I might add- no one's liked me enough to bother saying anything. Compared to someone like you who gets confession letters daily, you wouldn't understand."

Yami was quiet for a minute. Yuugi had just finished bandaging his right hand, about to move her hand when Yami grabbed it. She paused, looking up at Yami.

"So what is your conclusion?" said Yami. "Are you open to the idea of liking guys now?"

"I... have thought about it." Yuug confessed. "And I honestly don't know."

"What if you had some experience?" said Yami slowly. "What if you tried dating a guy to see if you could like them?"

"Yami, where am I going to find a guy that wants to date me?"

"You could try dating me."

Something fluttered through her stomach at the idea, filling her with a strange sense of dread and something else. It scared her in a way she didn't understand. It didn't help that Yami looked distinctly uncomfortable after he had said it.

"I couldn't do that to you Yami." Said Yuugi. "You've got someone you already like. I don't want to keep you from them. Besides, wouldn't that be too weird for you?"

"What do I keep telling you Yuugi?" said Yami seriously. "There are people that already like you, you just have to notice their advances."

Nope. It still wasn't making sense what he was saying.

Yuugi opened her mouth to ask what he was talking about when the realization hit her, burning hot within her chest. It took her breath away, settling on her like a weight as the words echoed through her.

 _He wasn't seriously insinuating that was he? There's no way he would… It wasn't possible._

Yami cocked his head at her, eyes boring into her, and she _knew_ that he knew. He knew what she had realized. She knew about his feelings for her.

"Yami." She managed softly. "I don't…I've never even thought about…"

She trailed off, not sure what else to say.

"You've never even considered the possibility that I might like you." Said Yami.

She nodded.

"Of course you haven't." Yami said, more to himself then to her. "This is you we are talking about. But what do you think Yuugi? Would you like to try dating me?"

He couldn't be serious. There was just no way. She was about to tell him to stop joking out of desperation when she saw something that convinced her he wasn't. His usually calm features expressed a hint of fear she had never seen before. She'd seen so many different sides of him over the years. Happy, concerned, enraged, bored, but never like this. Never had she seen this hesitant, fearful, hopeful expression on his face. Yuugi knew in that moment that he had exposed himself to her.

She was looking straight into his heart, and it scared her.

"Yami." she said. "I can't."

She couldn't do that to him. She couldn't date him out of pity or a sense of obligation. Hadn't he said that he wouldn't confess because she might say yes just to appease him? Perhaps if he hadn't pointed that out she would have considered it, but now she knew better. She knew that dating Yami when she didn't return his feelings would be wrong.

She wasn't sure how he would react, but what she did not expect was for him to smile. The man flipping smiled at her!

It looked painful.

"I understand." Said Yami simply. "Don't worry. It's just a simple crush. I'm sure it will go away with time."

Yami removed his hand from hers and she could feel him withdrawing from her in every way with the gesture. She wanted to reach out, to tell him to stop.

"Your other hand." She tried weakly. "I've got to treat it."

"I'll be fine." Said Yami, striding to his bag and grabbing it. "If you'll excuse me, I think I'll be off."

He walked away, and Yuugi just sat there on the couch, unsure what to do. Because what in the ever living heck were you supposed to do when your best friend confesses to you and you reject them?

She heard the door close as Yami walked out of the house.


	27. Chapter 27: Yami extra

**Yami has confessed. We've seen it all from Yuugi's perspective. Now let's take a glimpse at what Yami was feeling that whole time. I originally had this in two parts but decided to just put it all together. Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 27: Extra: Yami's Perspective

 _(Chapter 1-2)_

A yell jolted Yami from his sleep. He was immediately awake, all systems blaring in alarm. He jumped out of bed, running towards the noise.

"Yuugi!" he cried, pounding on the bathroom door. "Is that you? I heard a loud scream. Are you alright? Answer me!"

The few seconds it took for Yuugi to open the door nearly broke him. It creaked open and revealed a very frightened Yuugi, topless and scared.

Yami… I think... I think I just emerged."

Yami's heart stopped, trying to comprehend what just happened. He quickly scanned him, no her! Yuugi was a girl. Her hair was longer, eyes bigger and brighter from her tears. Her chest…

Yami's face turned red. He quickly directed his eyes to the ceiling, heat filling his whole body.

"Y-Yuugi… your shirt."

"I can't believe this happened to me." Said Yuugi, obviously not listening. Yami slowly focused his gaze on Yuugi, careful with the placement of his eyes. "I thought people didn't emerge after twelve. I'm flipping seventeen years old. How did this happen?"

She was freaking herself out and on the verge of hyperventilating. That was not good. Yami shoved his own embarrassment down. It was not the time or place for it. Yuugi was under major distress and needed his help now! He could freak out later.

Yami tore off his shirt, pushing it over Yuugi's head. He carefully guided her arms through the holes, making sure to not touch her in any way that was inappropriate.

"Calm down Yuugi." He said for both their benefit. "It's alright. Breathe. You're going to be just fine."

Yuugi's breathing slowly calmed, the panic leaving her face. Her eyes glazed over, the usual shine fading to a dead stare.

That both a good and bad sign. It meant Yuugi was disappearing within herself to sort her feelings of it situation. The problem was, how long would it last?

Yami grabbed hold of her shoulders, encouraged by the fact that she automatically leaned on him for support. He led her into the living room and sat her down. Then he ran back upstairs to grab a blanket from the closet and throw on some clothes. He defiantly needed to be dressed properly to live through this without doing something stupid.

Yuugi hadn't moved when he got back downstairs. He quickly wrapped her in a blanket, hoping her body wasn't going into shock. When she still didn't register his presence, he ran a frustrated hand through his hair, thinking frantically what else to do. What was it that could bring Yuugi out of her own head?

 _Lavender tea!_

It was what Yuugi used to make for him when he freaked out. The thought put him into action and he quickly started the process. After putting the kettle on the heat, all he could do was wait until it boiled. Wait and think.

 _Yuugi is a girl now. You can confess!_

Yami groaned, softly hitting his forehead repeatedly with a fist. That was not the appropriate response. He shouldn't feel happy that Yuugi was female now. He shouldn't secretly be rejoicing inside, thinking he had a chance, because he didn't. This didn't change anything. Yuugi still liked Anzu and girls in general. Just because her gender changed didn't mean her sexual preferences would.

The kettle started to whistle, telling Yami it was ready. He quickly assembled the tea, pouring it into the cup.

No, he shouldn't be getting carried away in his own fantasies. Yuugi just changed her gender over night. He shouldn't burden her with his feelings. He refused to be so insensitive to someone that had brought so much light into his life. He owed her that at least.

He quickly brought the tea into the living room, just catching the tears starting to form in Yuugi's eyes. Yami smiled, shoving down all his insecurities and hope. Now was not the time for those. Yuugi needed him and he was determined to help her every step of the way.

* * *

(Chapter 10)

 _There should be a limit to how cute someone can look._

The thought immediately went through Yami's head as he desperately tried to keep it from showing on his face. All he could do was stare, arms crossed and face blank as Yuugi tugged at the hem of her skirt. Her very short skirt he might add.

Were all of the school girls skirts that short? He had a perfect view of her slender smooth white thighs. Dimly he wondered if Anzu he taught her to shave them. He had the desire to run his hands across them to check.

Yami scowled. He considered telling her to put on her pants and forget this whole female uniform thing. She was gesturing at him, expression constantly changing. She seemed full of energy, that was a good sign. He always admired that energy. It was a perfect complement to her bright cheeks and adorable frame. Yami wasn't sure how she did it, but Yuugi made the stiff pink uniform look _good_.

 _Annnnd now she's gone. Why did she suddenly go inside the house?_

The door flew open, Yuugi pointing a finger at him. "You're supposed to stop me!"

"Am I?" said Yami, not having heard a single word she had been saying.

"Yes, and you're supposed to drag me to school."

 _School is the last place I'd like to drag you to right now._

"We're going to be late unless we leave right now."

* * *

(Chapter 12)

"Pharaoh! Are you happy that that he emerged?"

Yami stopped dead, turning to see Marik walking towards him in the hall. Did the idiot want the whole school to know about his crush? Marik stopped as well, a smirk spreading across his face.

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's a _her_ now isn't it? Aren't you happy that she emerged?"

"Please don't ask me such a dumb question." Said Yami, turning to face the man fully. If he didn't stop to talk to Marik he would just tail him anyway. It was easier to deal with Marik head on than run.

Marik nodded solemnly. "You're right. It is a dumb question. Of course you're happy about it."

"No, I'm not." Said Yami "This is a huge upset for Yugui's life. Why would I be happy about anything that made her this distressed?"

"Because you're not half as noble as you pretend to be." Said Marik. "I bet inside you're jumping up and down in joy. Now that she's a girl you can go out without having to worry about all that gender crap from your family."

"Marik, I'm not going to confess."

"And why the bloody hell not?"

"Because that would be completely inappropriate and insensitive."

Marik's face turned into a disgusted scowl.

"Oh I get it." Said Mark. "You're still too scared of rejection. I admit I'm surprised. Even after all this you still don't have the guts to do it. I didn't think you were the type of person to take the cowards way out."

"It's not cowardice." Said Yami. "She's going through enough right now. I don't need to add my feelings to the mess. Besides, you think she's just going to up and turn her preferences over night? If anything is going to happen it's going to take time."

Yes, that was the main point of everything. It would take time for Yuugi to adjust and figure out her own sense of self. Then she would have to face the hard question of if she was going to keep or change her own sexuality. This was far from a simple situation and it had no real 'correct' answer.

Marik just sighed, shaking his head at Yami.

"Mark my words Yami, if you keep delaying she's going to be snatched up before you know it. She's become rather cute now. Who knows, maybe I'll even try my hand."

Yami knew he was joking. He could hear it in Marik's voice. That didn't stop the flare of anger that lit inside his chest as he hissed at Marik. "Don't you dare."

Marik raised an eyebrow at him, apparently surprised at the outburst. It was his own fault for pushing him. Yami was stretched thin from stress as it was. He didn't need Mark's insensitivity making it all worse.

The sound of approaching feet and a familiar voice made Yami freeze, his blood turning icy cold.

"Hey guys."

Yami stared, horrified at Yuugi who was smiling pleasantly at them. Had she heard? Did she know about his feelings for her?

The smile turned into a concerned frown. "What's the matter Yami. Are you feeling alright?"

Yami hurriedly assessed Yuugi's face. It seemed normal, no tells of self-consciousness. She wasn't embarrassed, disgusted, or anything else that could indicate that she had overheard. He was in the clear.

Resisting the urge to sigh, he smoothed his face, forcing himself to relax.

"I'm fine. You just startled me is all."

Marik gave a chuckle and Yami shot him a glare.

 _If he messes this up I'm going to flipping kill this man._ Thought Yami, hoping his glare sent the message. But Marik wasn't looking at him. He was looking at Yuugi, all smiles.

"The female look does you good Yuugi. Who knew that you'd be this cute when you became a girl?"

"C-cute?"

Of course Yuugi was surprised. The girl had no idea what she looked like to others, male or female.

"Sure you are. I bet Yami thinks so as well."

As Yuugi switched her attention to Yami, he tried and failed to cover how much he did _not_ want to answer that question. Marik was going to be enjoying a few maggots in his lunch tomorrow, Yami would see to that.

But after looking at Yuugi, Yami couldn't do it. He couldn't bring himself to lie or direct the question in another direction. Yuugi wanted his opinion, and hadn't he been thinking that exact thought all day? So he opened his mouth, starting the process of exposing his heart to her in a way he had swore to never reveal, lest it destroy him.

"Yes. You look cute."

* * *

(Chapter 18)

Yami was going to murder someone. Specifically, a tall thick eyebrowed bully that dared, that _dared_ to come and act friendly with Yuugi. Sure she had become friends with her tormentors in the past, but they hadn't come anywhere near the amount of pain and heart ache Ushio had caused Yuugi.

"Like I said, it was all going like usual, he was going to steal my money and such when I came up with a great idea." said Yuugi who was grinning. Why was she grinning? "I had been ticked the whole day because people treated me like a girl see? So I decided, well, how about I make him see me as a girl?"

 _She did what!?_

Yami felt himself go perfectly still, face and expression darkening. He kept it that way as she continued her story, doing his best to not let his anger take control.

Yuugi had flirted with Ushio like that? And the man had just turned into a good person all of a sudden? No, Yami didn't believe it. He wouldn't allow it. That was too much. Now that Ushio saw her as a girl what would happen the next time he decided to bully her? Once he realized that Yuugi had played him. Would he beat her? Torment her and then take away her innocence out of spite? He was that type of person, far beyond redeeming or normal human feelings.

"...and why aren't you amused by this! Isn't it ironic that my childhood bully now has a crush on me?"

"Not one bit." Said Yami, voice hard. He needed to have another chat with Ushio soon, that much was obvious. "Do you not see how dangerous this situation has become Yuugi?"

Yami didn't get to explain. Their friends came over a second later and Yuugi was pulled aside by Anzu to talk about something. Yami hung back from the others, waiting for Yuugi with the intent to finish their conversation.

He hadn't meant to eves drop, he really didn't. But when he heard _that_ coming from them, all his anger immediately evaporated, embarrassment and realization spreading through him.

 _That was why she had been so moody yesterday! She had been… oh my gosh!_

He knew Yuugi was a girl, he'd seen proof of it after all, but even he had forgotten about that little aspect of being female. With another start, he realized something else that he hadn't even thought about. If Yuugi had menstrual cycles, that meant she could have children.

 _Shi-_

Unbidden the images came to his mind. The desire, the _urge_ to have her before someone else could have that privilege. Without a doubt Yami knew that Yuugi would make not only an excellent lover, but a wonderful mother. She had the caring and loving nature a proper parent should have. It was one of the many wonderful traits she had picked up from her grandfather. It was also exactly the type of parent Yami wanted his future children to have.

Yami couldn't look at her for the next few hours as he desperately battled the various images and scenarios that floated into his mind. He was so going to hell for this.

* * *

(Chapter 22)

Yami couldn't help it. He started smirking as Yuugi continued her spiel against the girl he liked. Little did she know she was insulting herself _._ The irony of the situation was just too perfect.

"…They don't deserve you if they can't see how much you care about them. I can't like her- and stop smiling at me like that! I know that smile! It's when you know something I don't and you're mocking me."

"I'm not mocking you." _Just thinking how cute you are without even trying. Seriously, it's bad Yuugi and you still have no idea._ "I was just thinking about how some things will never change"

They bantered for a moment before falling into silence, Yami sinking into his own thoughts. Yes, he hadn't even given Yuugi that chance to reject him. Instead, he'd played it safe this whole time, resisting his urges to reach out to her, save the few times he hadn't been able to stop himself. Could he continue like this for their whole life? Could he pretend to only see her as a friend? Or should he give up this crush?

No, if he could have given it up he would have a long time ago. It was far too late now. Yuugi had embedded herself permanently inside his heart long ago. There wasn't room for anyone else inside. It was because of her that he had questioned and eventually changed his sexuality when she had been a male. Even after she had emerged, his feelings for her hadn't changed one bit. Obviously he didn't care what gender she was. Her importance to him was way beyond that.

So knowing the extent of his feelings, was he ok with staying like this for the rest of his life?

Yami looked up at her, studying her. She was deep in thought as well, obviously still miffed at his comment if the scowl on her face was anything to go off of. She blew a strand of hair from her face, the gesture adorable to no end. Was he ok with letting her go without even trying?

Yuugi caught his eyes, staring back at him with a confused expression. He couldn't break the eyes contact, looking into her brilliant purple irises.

 _I'm an idiot._ He thought. _There's no way I'm letting anyone else have her. Heck, even Anzu didn't deserve her._ _I supported her as a friend, but now I'm done. I'm getting worn out with pretending I care less than I actually do._

The only questions that remained were when was he going to confess, and how would Yuugi take it?

When Sugoroku came up to Yami later in the entryway, he had no idea what to expect. The only thing he did not expect was for Sugoroku to call Yami out on his crush.

"Listen Yami." Said Sugoroku, his voice low. "I want to thank you for always taking care of Yuugi for me while I'm gone."

"It's not a problem." Said Yami. He did it more for his own sake anyway. It served the dual purpose of spending time with Yuugi and getting out of his parents' house.

"I'm sure it's not." Said Sugoroku, a twinkle in his eye. "After all, we all do kind things for those we love."

Fear rippled through Yami. He stared at Sugoroku with dread, hoping that he misunderstood.

"Of course Yuugi is a very important friend to me." Said Yami slowly, gauging the grandfather's reaction. The man smiled calmly at Yami.

"We both know that it's much more than that, and has been for a long time."

Yami shifted uncomfortably, not able to look at the man. What was Sugoroku going to do? Was he going to tell Yami off, or tell him to never come near her again?

"Don't look so nervous." Said Sugoroku, chuckling at Yami's misery. "I'm not trying to scare you my boy. I'm telling you that I fully support you."

Yami's eyes widened, shocked at what he was hearing. Sugoroku knew? He knew that Yami liked Yuugi and he supported it?

"Sir." Said Yami, desperate to double check. "You do realize what you're saying right? I've… my feelings were not formed recently. They've been there for…"

"I know how long you've been in love with my grandson- er, daughter." Said Sugoroku, waving a hand at Yami. "I'm not old for nothing you know."

Relief spread through Yami. He let out a breath he hadn't meant to hold in. Sugoroku knew and approved. He flipping approved!

"Just promise me this Yami." Said Grandpa, looking serious. "Promise me to take good care of her. Don't let her feel lonely or hurt her or else I will have your head."

"I assure you, that is my last intention." Said Yami firmly.

"Then that means you should have no problem staying over when I'm not around. After all-" Sugoroku leaned in closer, wagging his eyebrows at Yami. "If you could keep yourself off of her when she was a guy I doubt you'll do anything when she's a girl. Or at least, I'm putting my trust in you. Do you understand what I'm getting at Yami?"

"Yes sir." Said Yami, nodding again. Gramps was giving him a chance to prove himself. To treasure Yuugi and prove that what he wanted wasn't just a physical relationship, but something deeper.

"Good." Said Gramps, nodding. "Now, how many times has she peaked at us while we've been talking?"

Yami smirked. "At least six times. She's doing it again right now."

Gramps chuckled as Yami gave her a small wave, biding the two of them goodbye. As he made his way home Yami couldn't help the hope and determination filling his chest.

He had her grandfather's support! That was a huge step and he hadn't even had to bring it up himself. Perhaps this was a sign that it would all be well. Perhaps Yuugi would even eventually accept his feelings. Now that would be a miracle indeed.

* * *

(Chapter 29)

The moment he heard her rejection he began backpedaled his feelings, throwing up every shield he could to defend against the sinking feeling of rejection in his chest. Because she was showing him _that_ face. The one of fear and horror. The one that told him that she _didn't_ feel the same way and felt terrible for it. He could see it in her eyes, and that was the last expression he had wanted her to make.

So he smiled to ease her conscious.

It had to be the hardest thing he had ever done, but he did it. He sucked it up and smiled, because he would not cry right her in front of her. She shouldn't have to carry that burden as well.

"I understand." Yami heard himself saying. ""Don't worry. It's just a simple crush. I'm sure it will go away with time."

He could not for the life of him remember what had happened after that. What he could remember was getting home and closing the door to his room, not bothering to turn on the light. The darkness did a good job of both highlighting his mood and hiding the hole he had punched in the wall in his moment of weakness. It did nothing to appease his emotions, instead making his knuckles hurt even more.

* * *

 **Thank you for the reviews!** **AnimaniAshley,** **Madolche Anjelly,** **ForeverWildfire2.0 ,** **Kaitenzero,** **Mistoka ,** **Revolutionchief,** **SkyNakama27,** **Misty Azalea Fairy, and** **Hiei Dragon Girl. Though I think half of you are miffed at me for Yuugi's reaction. XD Don't worry guys, this is puzzleshipping for a reason. Everything will work out in the end.**

 **Out of all of the flash backs, which one is your favorite?**

 **-King of Doors**


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

As strange as everything was, it also made sense. The more Yuugi thought about Yami liking her, the more things fell into place so perfectly she could smack herself in the head for being so blind. Seriously!

To start off with, Yami had said that he liked someone that liked someone else, and at that time Yuugi had liked Anzu. Then there was the fact that Yami had liked Yuugi as a guy. That defiantly constituted as a major deterrent for confessing.

Then Yami had been very interested on her opinion of same gender attraction. Well of course! She was still a guy in some ways. He wanted to know if he was going to be rejected before even confessing. Then there was that whole discussion about him liking a friend who had no idea he liked them. Well that conversation was just plain embarrassing to think back on. He had totally been mocking her!

Yuugi had toyed with the idea that Yami had liked someone else. That his crush on her was a recent development due to her emerging. She honestly doubted it. He probably would have mentioned it if his crush had changed. Plus, it just didn't seem like Yami to rush into something like this.

Then there was how close they were. Yami and her were so inseparable that people just assumed they would be together. If someone invited one of them to something, the other was likely to turn up as well. Who else was Yami going to like if not her? He spent most of his free time with her.

So she had established that Yami liked her. Now what? What was going to happen to their friendship? She had rejected him, but they could still be friends right? Yuugi and Anzu had managed to work through everything and still be friends. Surely she and Yami could as well.

Or could she learn to like him back? She'd rejected him out of reflex, because her mind had definitely not been working when he confessed to her. Did she see Yami that way?

Yuugi had no idea.

He had a special place in her heart, that much was obvious, but was it _that_ kind of special? This just felt so much different then with her and Anzu.

Yuugi felt sick and she wasn't sure what had caused it. Was it because she was scared she had lost a friend? Or was it the look on Yami's face when he left?

Yuugi groaned, letting her face fall onto the kitchen table with a thud. Nope, this stomach ache was defiantly due to the entire carton of ice cream she'd just consumed.


	29. Chapter 29

**I posted two chapters today cause I'm nice like that, so don't skip the previous chapter. Also, updates are about to slow down cause of school. Have fun!**

* * *

Chapter 29

Yuugi didn't sleep much that weekend. By the time Monday came around, she was both groggy and cranky. She wrenched herself out of bed and started dressing, grumbling the whole time. She had just finished brushing her teeth when she heard a knock on her door.

Curious, and half afraid of who it might be, she walked downstairs and opened the door.

"Ryou!" she said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

Her white haired friend scratched the back of their head, giving a light laugh. Yuugi noticed that she was still wearing her boys uniform. Looked like Ryou wasn't ready to come out yet.

"Yami asked me to walk you to school today." She said. "I was waiting, but if we don't leave soon we'll be late."

"Did he now?" said Yuugi slowly. "That was nice of him." She was both relieved and upset. Relieved that she didn't have to face him yet, and upset that he was actively avoiding her. He hadn't called or texted her the whole weekend. Then again, neither had she.

Ryou looked uncomfortable.

"Sorry Ryou, just give me a second." Said Yuugi, running back inside quickly. She grabbed her bag and a granola bar to eat on the way. Ryou was still standing in the door way when she ran out, locking the door behind her.

They walked the first few streets in silence. Neither of them saying anything. Eventually Yuugi sighed.

"Did Yami tell you why he wanted you to walk with me to school today?" she said.

"Not exactly." Said Ryou slowly. "From what I gathered the two of you had a fight of some sort. I think he was concerned that you might not want to walk with him to school, but he didn't want you to walk alone."

"Of course he did." Said Yuugi, shaking her head. He'd probably also sent Ryou so she could talk to her about it. It was something he would do. Even after she had rejected him he was taking care of her.

"We didn't fight exactly." said Yuugi. "We just…"

How did she explain it? _Yami confessed but I rejected him so it's awkward between us?_ Yeah, no. That was not going to work. That involved revealing a secret Yami had not given her permission to tell others. That he was technically bisexual. Ryou might not judge him for it, but it still wouldn't be right to say anything.

"I can't tell you exactly what happened." said Yuugi with a sigh. "I'd like to talk to you, but I can't"

"Then do you mind if I take a guess?" said Ryou.

"Shoot."

"Yami confessed and you rejected him."

Yuugi stopped dead in her tracks, staring at her friend in shock.

"How did you..."

"Yami." said Ryou simply. "He was concerned you may be flipping out."

Yuugi frowned, her mood souring as she continued walking.

"So he told you and sent you here so I could talk and sort out my feelings on the matter."

Ryou shrugged. "Well, it worked with me and Bakura. Why wouldn't it help with the two of you?"

"I guess…" It somewhat irked her that he knew her so well he could anticipate her bad moods as well as her need for a confident.

"I honestly am still having trouble processing it." Said Yuugi, deciding to just give in and talk to her friend. "I never would have guessed in a million years that he would like me."

"I... actually have suspected it for a while." said Ryou.

"What!"

"I didn't start noticing it until after you emerged." said Ryou, nervously. "Everyone started acting differently around you. Especially the guys. I'm not trying to say anything about it." said Ryou quickly cutting off Yuugi's eminent outburst. "But they had a different awareness of you. Suddenly, instead of just a friend, they saw a cute girl. Any guy would be self-conscious, especially the hot blooded ones."

Immediately Yuugi thought about Honda and Ushio. Even Jounouchi didn't rough house with her as much. Yes, this was a fact she had come to accept. She just didn't realize it went so far as being aware of her in _that_ way.

"The point is Yuugi." continued Ryou. "Everyone changed, even just the slightest bit, with how they interacted with you. Everyone except Yami. Why was that? It was because he had already been viewing you in that way. He had already seen you as a romantic interest."

Yuugi was about to point out all the different times Yami _had_ changed his attitude around her. Like how he was determined to walk her to school each day, or how he originally wasn't going to stay the night at her house anymore. Then she realized that wasn't what Ryou was talking about. She was talking about an overall awareness of one's actions around them. Things like the constant blushing and stammering from Honda. Yami's actual attitude towards her hadn't changed in the slightest.

"What should I do?" said Yuugi quietly. "He's my best friend. Is it selfish for me to want to keep that friendship? "

"That will have to be between you and Yami."

"Yes, but this is Yami!" said Yuugi, exasperated. "He's already proved himself to think more about me than about himself. He flipping told you that he was bisexual just because he didn't want me to sulk alone through this mess. If I told him I just wanted to be friends, he would probably do it just because I asked him to!"

It sounded like something Yami would do, and the more she thought about it the angrier she got. He'd pushed her to pursue Anzu, ignoring his own heart. He'd devoted a lot of time to her when she emerged, asking nothing in return. Now he had sent Ryou in his place to keep her safe and help her think.

Well she'd done her thinking. She'd concluded that Yami was an idiot.

"Now I'm ticked." said Yuugi. "Why doesn't he take care of himself? He thinks he can just smooth this all over? I'm not going to stand for it."

"Yuugi, wait up!"

Ryou sprinted after Yuugi who had taken off, determined to give Yami a good talking to the moment she saw him.

* * *

She found him walking away from his locker, books in his hand and a wearing a surgical mask. His cut was covered by a long bandaged, a few others decorating his knuckles. The sight fueled her irritation at him. He looked like crap.

"You!" she called, pointing at him. Yami actually jumped, staring at her as she marched up to him. "I told you to dry your hair properly. Now you have a cold. Why are you even here today? Go home and rest for peat's sake."

"It's not that bad." Said Yami slowly, his raspy voice telling her otherwise. "I don't have a temperature. I'm just coughing at this point."

Based on the part of his face that she could see, he was looking at her with a confused expression. He had probably expected her to avoid him for the whole day. Well he was dead wrong.

"And why didn't you show up at my house this morning?" she continued, not noticing the people that were starting to stare. "You thought I wouldn't want to walk with you correct? So you sent Ryou-" Yuugi gestured at said person who had just come in behind her, out of breath and clutching her side. "assuming that I'd be thinking myself in circles didn't you?"

"Yuugi." said Yami, obviously alarmed by her behavior. "What-"

"Tell me this Yami." interrupted Yuugi, stepping up the Yami so closely he had to step back to avoid running into her. "Did you assumed that I would come to you in a few days, meek and upset, asking if we could still be friends didn't you? Then you were going to say yes, even if you weren't ok with it."

"Umm."

That was a yes.

Yuugi drew back, folding her arms and planting her feet in defiance against him.

"I want you to tell me the truth Yami." She said. "And don't you dare lie to me. Is this really something that will go away quickly? Are your feelings so insignificant that if I said that I just wanted to be friends, you would be ok with that?"

Yami paused. He was studying her and she could tell he was trying to determine if he should lie or not. For his own sake, he'd better not.

"No." said Yami eventually. "I would not be ok with it."

Yuugi threw her hands up in the air, saying "Thank you!"

At last she was starting to hear what he actually felt. No more of this _It's just a crush that will go away_ junk. The man needed to start thinking about his own feelings. He went too far to make sure she was comfortable.

"I'm still mad at you by the way." said Yuugi. "You should have said something a long time ago instead of encouraging me to go after Anzu. It's not healthy."

"What was I supposed to do?" said Yami. "I wasn't sure how you'd respond. For all I knew you would dissolve our friendship because you would be disgusted by me. I also didn't want you to freak out like I knew you would."

"Didn't we already have this conversation?" said Yuugi, using his own words. " _'You don't own other people's feelings.'_ If you took care of yourself half as much as you took care of me this would never have been a problem. Did you honestly think I would ever hate you for your feelings?"

"I… don't know." Said Yami, and Yuugi saw that hint of fear again in his eyes. The sight made her calm down a little. "But I never would have thought that you'd get mad at me for not saying anything instead of what my feelings actually were."

"My case in point. You can't assume other people's feelings." said Yuugi with a grimace, and standing here in the hall, she made a decision she'd been toying with. She wasn't 100% sure if it was the correct thing to do, but it felt right.

"Will you give me time to think?" said Yuugi, unable to stop the heat flaring to her cheeks "To consider your confession? I… was honestly too freaked out to even consider what you said."

Yami's eyes widened, and Yuugi felt her stomach drop.

"Ah, well unless you're not interested anymore then-"

"I'll wait."

Yuugi clamped her mouth shut, staring at Yami. Even with the mask, she could see the smile in his eyes.

"For as long as it takes, I'll wait for your answer."

The heat in her face rose as she turned away, unable to look at him. Was he really that happy because of what she said?

"Right." Said Yuugi, desperate to change the topic because her cheeks were definitely as red as a tomato. "Now that's settled, let's go. We're going to be late for class."

She heard him chuckle and looked back.

"What is it?" she said.

"Nothing." Said Yami. "Just wondering how you never cease to amaze me.

She couldn't help purposefully avoiding Yami's eyes as they walked to class, the happiness practically radiating off of him. The smirk on Ryou's face was also not helping the situation.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing!**


	30. Chapter 30

"Man Yami you look like hell. What happened?"

Ever the king of subtlety, those were the first words out of Jounouchi's mouth when he saw Yami. The man tried to wave off their concerns, his good mood still palpable as they took their seats for class. But Jou and Honda didn't let it go, continuing to hound him until Yami told the story of his fight with Bakura, leaving out certain details of course.

Yuugi was glad that Yami was distracted. She did her best to not be self-conscious, but there was an extra awareness she could shake despite her best efforts. It was especially bad during class knowing that Yami sat behind her.

Yami, on the other hand, was perfectly calm. Other than his good mood, there wasn't in change in his behavior around her. Then again he did have a mask covering half of his face.

Cheater.

She knew some of the others noticed. Anzu raised an eyebrow when Yuugi dropped the pencil case Yami was handing her. Jou had the tact to point out that Yuugi was avoiding looking at Yami, to which she vehemently denied then made an effort to look in Yami's eyes for the rest of the day. Yeah, that went well for her heart. It didn't help that Ryou was also sporting a smug smile, though if it was delight at Yuugi's misery or her own flourishing love life Yuugi had no idea.

In conclusion, the day was not good for her nerves.

"So Yuugi, are you going to tell us what's going on with you and Yami?"

Yuugi shot Jounouchi a withering look as she placed mystical elf in defense position face down. Her and Jou were playing a game of duel monsters during lunch. Yami had just gone to the bathroom, and the others were quick to jump onto the opportunity to question her without him there.

"I told you, there's nothing going on." Said Yuugi.

"Dat's not what everyone else is saying." Said Jou. "An' I attack your face down card with my flame swords man."

"Nice try." Said Yuugi, flipping her card over. "My defense points exceed your attack points. And what do you mean that's not what everyone else is saying?"

Honda was the one that answered. He was sitting at the table, watching the card game while finishing his lunch. "People are saying they you saw you and Yami fighting this morning. They say you two are going out and you were having a l-lovers quarrel" Honda stuttered when he noticed Yugi's face.

"They're saying what!" said Yuugi.

"Yup, I heard dat too." Said Jou, grumbling as he looked at his hand. "Guess people will start any kind of rumor. To think of you two dating." Jou shook his head with a slight laugh. "But something has obviously happened wit' you two. So what is it?"

Yuugi frowned, drawing a card and looking at it. Maybe the middle of the hall hadn't been the wisest place to chew him out. Hopefully the rumors would go away soon. She wasn't sure if Yami wanted people knowing about his crush on her.

She noticed that everyone was looking at her expectantly. Yuugi gave Ryou a pitiful look, who just grimaced at her.

"It's nothing guys." She repeated again. "We just… had a disagreement of sorts this weekend and I chewed him out after I got to school."

"But you guys hardly ever fight." Said Anzu, looking concerned.

"Well, except that one time Yuugi was Pmsing."

"Jou!"

"I'm just saying."

"What was the f-fight about anyway?" said Honda as Anzu started lecturing Jounouchi about common decency.

"It was nothing." Said Yuugi with a shrug.

"But..." Said Honda, still hesitant. "From what Miho said, it really sounded like Y-Yami had confessed to you."

"Wait, so you two _are_ dating?" said Jou, now ignoring Anzu who pouted at him.

"What! No that's not what I said."

"But I heard-

"Clam yourself." Said Yami, who had just returned and given Jounouchi a firm chop on the head. "You're going to spill your drink all over your cards if you don't stop moving."

Jou rubbed the top of his head, turning to Yami.

"Here's the man himself. We can just ask him."

Yuugi felt a spike of fear run through her.

"Why don't we just return to the card game…" said Yuugi, but her efforts to distract Jou were in vain.

"Are you two dating?"

Yuugi groaned.

Yami raised an un-injured eyebrow at him as he sat down by Yuugi.

"Where'd you hear that?" said Yami.

"It's a rumor that's been going around. A lot of people say they heard you guys fighting this morning." Said Anzu.

"I see… well those rumors are wrong. We are not dating."

Yuugi let out a breath of relief.

"I confessed to her and she said she'd think about it."

"What!"

Everyone at the table let out some form of exclamation. Anzu spilled her bag of crackers, Honda turned red in the face and Jou actually stood up so suddenly he banged his knee hard against the table. Yuugi had to grab her water bottle quickly to stop it from falling over.

"Are you alright?" asked Ryou.

"'m fine." Said Jou through gritted teeth. "Are you being serious Yami? You asked Yuugi out?"

"I did." Said Yami, seemingly unconcerned at their stares. Yuugi couldn't help squirming in her seat, uncomfortable when the gang glanced at her as well. A second later they launched into a million questions, Yami deftly answering them all.

"When did this happen?"

"This weekend."

"How long have you liked her?"

"Long enough."

"That's not a helpful answer Yami."

"Before she emerged if you must know."

"Wait a moment man... doesn't that make you-"

"Technically bi-sexual? Yes."

The questions continued for a solid five minuets, Yuugi too shell shocked to do anything at first.

"What are you doing?" Yuugi whispered furiously to Yami.

Yami, who had taken off his mask to eat, gave her a crooked smirk.

"I'm just following your advice." He said. "I'm being honest with my feelings. What, did you think I didn't want everyone to know that I like you?"

Honesty she had.

Her sour mood must have shown on her face, because Yami put down his food to turn and face her in his seat.

"I'm not afraid of what others may think of me." Said Yami "Your response was the only one I actually cared about."

"But still…" Yuugi glanced at her friends. They were currently giving Ryou a hard time for not saying anything since she had known about it. Yuugi couldn't detect any disgust or ill feelings from them, but others were sure to look down on Yami. Even if the general populace didn't know he had liked her as a guy, they would still talk since she had just emerged last month. It was possible that Yami could be bullied much like she still was on occasion, despite his good reputation. All it took was one thing to dirty your image permanently. Such was the nature of High school.

Yami reached out and gave her hair an affectionate ruffle. It did it's job of soothing her worries, making her puff out her cheeks in a huff as she desperately tried to control her hair.

"Don't worry about me Yugi." Said Yami with a smile. "I couldn't care less about the opinion of the herd. As long as you guys are comfortable with it, everything will work out."

A light smile stretched across her face, highlight by a slight blush.

"Here here!" said Jou, coming into their conversation. "No one messes with my buddies, even though they do have weird gender things about them that kinda don't make sense."

"Ironic you say that Jou." Said Yami. "Tell me, how'd your bet with Kaiba go?"

Yuugi zoned out as Jou pulled out his math test, boasting about the nice red 81 plastered on the front. " _Dat rich boy will eat his words the next time I see him!"_

It looked like that hurdle was passed. Her friends didn't appear to disapprove a potential relationship between them. That meant that only thing stopping Yuugi was her own feelings.

Now if only she could figure those out.

* * *

Anzu cornered Yuugi during art appreciation, giving Yuugi the proper girl talk lecture.

"So you don't know if you like him back or not?" said Anzu.

"I don't." said Yuugi with a sigh. "It's strange. It feels bad when I think of rejecting him, but it just feels weird to think about going out with him as well. I can't determine if I'm feeling guilty, happy, or pressured by my feelings."

They were cut off as the teacher sent the two of them a glare from behind her desk. They both started moving their pencils furiously against the work book.

When the teacher's gaze shifted, Anzu subtlety whispered "In my experience, there is usually something that triggers it."

"What do you mean?" Yuugi whispered back, pretending to be doing her work.

"I mean, there is usually a moment, some sort of realization or something they do makes me say 'ah ha! I do like them.' Or 'I don't like them'."

"In your experience? Have you had a lot of crushes in the past?" said Yuugi.

"A few." She said with a mysterious wink. "The point is, just be patient and on the lookout for any triggers. You'll get your answer eventually."

They had to stop their conversation when the teacher came to stand right next to their table, arms folded and looking very _not_ pleased with them.

* * *

 **Thank you guys for reviewing! devilface1034, SkyNakama27, Hiei Dragon Girl, AnimaniAshley, vir, Mistoka, Guest, K, vyeralyn, Misty Azalea Fairy , kaitenzero, ForeverWildfire2.0, IbeWildBella and Animanga-smile14!**

 **Also, looks like most people likes the gramps flashback followed by the Ushio one. My personal fav had to be when he was checking Yuugi out in the uniform. XD**


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Wednesday came, bringing Yuugi's biweekly appointment with her counselor. Mai's office was the same small but comfortable room, the woman herself giving Yuugi a cup of tea to sip while they talked. Over the course of their appointments, Yuugi had come to really enjoy her talks with Mai. Often the woman just asked questions, helping Yuugi sort through her feelings on the emergence. Sometime they'd do tests to make sure her body was still functioning correctly after the dramatic change. This appointment today was just a normal psych check up to see how she was doing mentally with all the changes.

After the normal greetings and small talk, Yuugi fell quiet, thinking.

If anyone could help her with her dilemma, it was Mai.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" said Yuugi.

"Of course pumpkin." Said Mai.

"Are you married?"

"I sure am, can't you tell?" Said Mai, waggling her left hand where a gold ring flashed at Yuugi. "Been happily married for five years now. Wow, time sure does fly by!"

"And are they your husband or your wife?"

"Ah, so I see you've gotten to that hurdle haven't you? What happened?"

Yuugi set down her cup, and then began explaining her situation. About her best friend confessing to her and her hesitation on what to do. Mai listened patiently, a small smirk on her face.

"I think the first thing you should do is identify the problem." said Mai. She held up a finger. "Are you trying to decide if you like him, or…" she held up her other hand, holding up another finger. "Are you trying to decide your sexuality."

"Both I think." Said Yuugi. It definitely doesn't help the situation.

"You talk a lot about your friends." Said Mai. "Do they know about it? How are they taking the situation?"

"They're all supportive about it." Said Yuugi. "Even my gramps when I told him. It's strange how easily everyone was so keen to support it. Why couldn't they have been this amiable when I emerged?"

Yes, everyone had been extremely supportive, even to the point that it was annoying. Her and Yami might as well be dating with all the smug looks and comments she was receiving daily. It didn't help that Honda was slowly getting over his fear of woman so she couldn't retort as well with her own teasing.

Then there had been Marik, and man what a nightmare! He'd corned the two of them in the library the next day. Yuugi had been reading a new book series while Yami was doing homework when he'd come over, very loudly congratulating them on their new relationship and effectively getting them kicked out. He'd also insisted on calling them 'Mrs. girlfriend' and 'Mr. boyfriend' for the whole walk home as he stalked them. Yuugi had toyed with the idea of trying out the pepper spray gramps had gotten her.

"People don't always make sense." Said Mai with a shrug. "They can take some changes but not others. They also might have sensed it coming. It was kind obvious Yami was in love with you."

Yuugi was surprised. "It was?"

"There's a reason I mistook you two for a couple when I saw you for the first time."

"Great. Just great." Said Yuugi, with a sigh. As if she didn't need any more people saying they looked great as a couple. She didn't even know if she wanted to date Yami. How awkward would it be if she ended up rejecting him when every single last flipping person thought they should go out? Unconsciously everyone was putting pressure on her to accept Yami's confession. She didn't want the reason for going out with Yami to be because everyone else wanted it.

Mai gave Yuugi a sympathetic look. "It's a lot of pressure isn't it? When you have to figure out your own feelings when everyone has already decided for you what they are."

"It definitely doesn't help."

Mai chuckled, then her eyes lit up in excitement.

"What if we take care of at least one of the questions?" said Mai.

"What do you mean?"

Mai leaned forward, obviously excited. "What if you went on a date with a guy who wasn't Yami? To see if you could like guys."

Yuugi tilted her head in thought. It was… an interesting idea. She could see the merit in it, but a part of her immediately felt like she was betraying Yami. Which was silly since they weren't dating!

"I'm not sure that would be a good idea…" said Yuugi slowly.

"Oh hush, it's a great idea." Said Mai waving a hand. "It's not like you two are dating so you're not cheating on him."

Yuugi winced at her own thoughts being echoed by Mai. The counselor had already pulled out her phone, scrolling through her contacts.

"I've got the perfect person that can take you out on a date. They're into both girls and guys so your situation won't matter to them."

Yuugi still wasn't sure. It sounded like a good idea, and at also sounded like a terrible idea.

Mai wasn't listening to her anyway.

"If you don't want to go, then just don't show up." Said Mai, already holding the phone to her ear. "But I think part of the problem is that you're too close to it. You need to back up and look at it from a different perspecti- Hey! Glad you picked up. Look I've got a cute girl that's looking for a date this weekend… No, you don't know her. It's a blind date… I'm not lying, she really is cute… I resent that and no, you can't… Look, she's trying to figure something out and need to go on a date to do it, so just suck it up and go, you won't regret it… Awesome! I'll let her know then… No, you'll get her name when you meet her. I wouldn't want you to look her up and spoil the surprise now would I?... Thanks, now you only owe me two more requests… Hah! In your dreams it's still two. That thing last week didn't count… Yah I know… Bye bye!"

Mai removed the phone from her ear, ending the call.

"It's all set." She said, smiling brightly and ignoring the look of absolute horror on Yuugi's face. "Your date will be this Friday at 6:00. He'll be waiting at the Domino square."

"What's his name?" said Yuugi, hesitant. "How will I find him?"

Mai gave a laugh.

"Don't worry hun. You'll find him. He kinda stands out."

* * *

 **Thank you for your reviews! ForeverWildfire2.0, BloodyAyame23aka , Madolche Anjelly, Mistoka, Hiei Dragon Girl, AnimaniAshley, BlackbirdFreedom11, SkyNakama27, and Money100.**

 **Don't hate me for making Yuugi go on a date with someone that's not Yami. XD**

 **Who else has been in a relationship because everyone else wanted and supported it? I have, and it sucked breaking up with them because then you had to deal with everyone else bugging you about it, not just the poor soul whose heart you broke. D: Yuugi is smart to find out her own feelings instead of listening to others. (I wish I had been that smart)**


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

The game let out a jingle of descending notes, indicating that the player had lost. Said player decided to whack the machine a few times to vent their frustrations.

"Stupid, stupid game! It's always that same level."

"Jou, stop shaking the machine you're going to get us in trouble."

"One more try. I'll get it this time."

Yuugi couldn't help glancing around in case. Their group was a little notorious at this gaming center. The staff had quickly learned to watch both Jounouchi and Honda closely when they came. Luckily it seemed that no one was around to reprimand Jounouchi except Yuugi.

Said blonde was shouting happily at the game, having put another coin to continue. Honda was hovering over his shoulder, encouraging his friend while simultaneously heckling him.

"Dude, you just got your face owned."

"Shad up!"

Yuugi shook her head, leaving the two to wander through the game center. The gang had decided to hang out in since they hadn't done it for some time. They'd probably only come here once since she had emerged. She still got odd looks from a few of the employees since they had known her as a male.

In one of the racing games she spotted her white haired friend. Yuugi approached to see what she was up to.

"Third place Ryou? Seriously?"

"It's a hard level!" defended Ryou, gripping the steering wheel. "Plus I think this purple car has it out for me. It keeps shoving me- ah! See? It just did it again."

"I never doubted you." Said Yuugi. There was nothing Yuugi enjoyed more than a good game. She watched Ryou for a few moments as he managed to pass one of the cars, finishing the race in second.

"Not bad." Said Ryou, leaning back with a shrug. "I can't stand that level. It has so many turns. Why did I pick it?"

"You're just a glutton for punishment I guess." Said Yuugi with a smirk.

The phone in Yuugi's pocket vibrated, a stream of four short notes indicating she had gotten a text.

She pulled out her phone, glancing at the message. It wasn't from someone in her contacts. That was odd. She usually didn't get spam messages on her phone. She opened up the message, curious, then just barely managed to not drop her mouth in shock.

 **XXX-XXX-9740:**

 **Hey there Yuugi, ur the one Mai set me up with for tmr right?**

Yuugi stared at her phone. It would have been nice to know that Mai was going to give a random person her phone number. Then the words registered in her head. This was the person she was going on a blind date with?

Yuugi quickly text back, not quite sure what to say.

 **Yuugi:**

 **This is her. How did you get my #?**

"Who was that?" said Ryou, who was playing the next level. She took a sharp turn, groaning when she ran into several road blocks that slowed her down.

"Just a friend." Said Yuugi with a shrug, slipping the phone into her pocket. Her heart was now beating for another reason. Her first instinct was to lie, to hide that she was going on a date with a random person. That was, if she decided to go, which she still hadn't decided yet. The question had been hovering in her mind all day while she desperately tried not to think of it. Yeah, that plan was going smoothly.

"Which one?" said Ryou.

"You don't know them."

"Really?"

Yuugi's phone went off again,

 **XXX-XXX-9740:**

 **Convinced Mai to let me have it. My name is** **Ryuji by the way. How are u feeling about the date tmrw?**

Yuugi frowned at the text message. She scrolled through her contacts quickly, finding Mai's number and shooting her a quick text, asking if she had given her blind date her number.

"Hey Yuugi!"

Yuugi jumped, whipping her head up to see Yami walking towards her. She quickly slipped the phone into her back pocket to hide her guilty conscious. Because her nervous twitchy face wasn't a give away. Nice…

"What is it?" said Yuugi, trying to smile normally. Luckily Yami didn't appear to notice.

"Let's play a game of air hockey." Said Yami, "I can only take Anzu thrashing me at DDR for so long. I need to actually win a game tonight."

Yuugi's pride bristled at the comment. "Oh, so you assume you'll win?"

"Naturally."

She gave a light laugh, the message quickly leaving her mind.

"Then you've got another thing coming Sennen." She said.

"Bring it on Mutou."

Knowing that she was being manipulated into playing and not caring, Yuugi left Ryou, who wished her good luck. As they reached the hockey table, Yami snatched up the strikers, deftly sliding Yuugi the other one. She grabbed it, a smile on her face.

Had she mentioned that she _loved_ games? Especially against Yami. He was always a worthy opponent, even if he did manage to win a few times. And no, Yuugi wasn't competitive. Not one bit.

Yami slipped the coins into the machine, the air starting to seep through the table and making the puck slide across the surface. His eyes were locked with hers, wearing his usual smirk, the one that spoke of confidence and victory. He was already gloating, thinking he had won.

"You ready Yuugi?" he said.

"Of course."

To others, it probably looked like a normal game of air hockey. After all, it was just a game. Then again, her and Yami did tend to be over enthusiastic with more mundane ones. Like card games. As it was, perhaps she should have realized their game was getting a little intense when they started to draw a crowd.

The hockey puck zipped across the table in quick succession, striking the walls and their paddles without missing a beat. It was almost impossible to follow, Yuugi relying more on reflex than anything else. Yami was in a similar boat, hand darting in front of his goal to protect the thin entrance. Yuugi slammed the puck towards the wall, watching as it managed to bounce twice, then slide past Yami's defenses into the goal.

"YES! In your face Yami!" cried Yuugi, throwing up her hands in victory. Dimly she was aware of a few people cheering for her as well.

"Don't get too cocky." Said Yami, taking the puck out and placing it on the table. "You merely tied our score. I'll be the one to score next."

The game continued, becoming more and more heated. Yuugi found herself leaning over the board, stretching her arms as far as they could go, which admittedly wasn't far. It was kind of sad how much this silly game was starting to make her sweat. With the score tied, both at six points, the last puck was dropped onto the table by Yami.

He flashed a grin at Yuugi.

"What to make a bet?" he said.

The smile on Yuugi's face grew. "If I win, you have to do my cleaning duties for the month."

"And if I win, you have to go on a date with me."

She faltered.

The crowd let out a loud _'oooh'_ in glee. A few wolf whistles even called in her direction. She almost chucked the puck at them when she realized it was Jounouchi and Honda. She had no idea how to react to the bet. Then she saw Yami's face, so full of confidence.

Nope, definitely not competitive.

"Deal." Said Yuugi without thinking.

The last point of the game started, Yami slamming the puck into the walls. Yuugi ghosted the puck's trajectory with her striker, not letting it hit her wall. Twice she just caught the puck before it slid into the goal, the crowd groaning and cheering. Each time it made her heart skip. Then Yami launched another attack, straight forward instead of against the walls. Yuugi wasn't ready for it. She barely managed to bat it away, the puck zipping back and forth before landing with a _'kurplunk'_ into Yami's goal.

Yami groaned as the rest of the crowd cheered along with Yuugi. Chuckling, she rounded the table and held out a fist, bumping it against Yami's.

"Nice game." Said Yuugi. "Hope you don't mind garbage duty."

"You were lucky." Said Yami with a shrug. Thankfully he was not a sore loser in most instances. It wasn't like she wasn't going to end up staying to help him like they always did anyway. The bet had no real significance. At least hers hadn't.

"Since I failed at winning a date with you." Said Yami. "How about I just ask. What are your plans for tomorrow?"

The high of winning drained out of Yuugi, leaving her more terrified then she should have been. She had made a bet with Yami to go on a date with her, and now he was asking her out! What had she been thinking? Did she want to? Was she ready for that hurdle?

"I…"

Yuugi's phone beeped, alerting her to her message. She pulled it out to give her time to think, reading the message. Her eyebrows shot up when she realized who it was from.

 **XXX-XXX-9740:**

 **I ask cause this isn't the first time Mai has set me up. You just emerged didn't you? and now youre trying to figure out your love life.**

 **Sorry if it's personal, but I just wanted to let u know that u don't have to come if u don't want to.**

Yuugi stared at the phone for a moment, then almost jumped when it vibrated again, another message popping up below the other one.

 **XXX-XXX-9740:**

 **But if u do, I promise you'll have a great time. ;)**

Great, now he was even more confused. It didn't help when people were nice yet demanding hard things from her. Like a date for goodness sakes!

Yami was still waiting.

"Didn't you say you'd wait for my reply to your confession?" pouted Yuugi.

"That doesn't mean I can't take you out on a date in the meantime."

"That just seems like you're cheating."

"It's not cheating. It's strategy. Who knows, you might fall madly in love with me on the date."

"Don't treat romance like a game. That's what players do!"

Yami shrugged, the nonchalant gesture making her want to punch him. He was being his normal patient teasing self, yet Yuugi could still detect some uncertainty behind his eyes.

And suddenly she knew what she wanted to do.

"Sure, I'll go on a date." She said.

Yami's expression brightened, then immediately calmed, the effort obvious.

"I hear a 'but' in there." Said Yami.

"I can't go tomorrow." Said Yuugi.

"Why not?"

Yuugi chewed the bottom of her lip. Thinking.

"I've got something going on tomorrow already. Something with my counselor." It was kinda the truth, and besides, she still might not go. She just wanted to leave it open. Just in case.

Yami's eyes narrowed, not doubt taking in the slight waver in her voice and the way her eyes barely managed to stay on his, not looking away, but not meeting them either. He didn't comment however, nodding at her. The smile stretched back across his face, evidently remembering that she had just agreed to a date with him. The site made her stomach flutter strangely.

"Excellent." Said Yami.

Then, he reached forward, brushing a lock of her blonde bangs behind her ears, his fingers ghosting across her face. Yuugi froze, hoping that he hadn't noticed.

The smile in his eyes told her he had. _Flip._

"I'll be looking forward to it." He said, voice low.

His hand dropped, tracing her jaw line as it left. He stood there a moment, Yuugi frozen stiff, before walking past her and calling out a challenge to Jounouchi.

Yuug let out her breath in one large gush, the world flooding back into her.

That had been strange. She had never seen Yami act like that. Well, he had always been kind, but that had been different. _Intimate_ almost. It left her with all sorts of weird clenching in her gut she couldn't interpret.

* * *

 **There's your answer to who the date is.**

 **And thank you mah friends, Madolche Anjelly, catgirl505, AnimaniAshley, ForeverWildfire2.0, Mistoka, V. Copperhex, SkyNakama27, Hiei Dragon Girl, and kaitenzero! for your lovely reviews.**

 **V. Copperhex, you are much wiser than I. I completely agree, a relationship requires two working sides, not just one. AnimaniAshley, thanks for sharing! Me and you both mah friend. It's hard when you try to do the right thing but you're not sure what it is till after the fact. Madolche Anjelly, I have to let you know your comment about wanting this to become a real series made me super smiley for a long time. :D and I purposefully didn't answer what mai's spouse was. 'Cuase It's not important and I don't know if it will ever be.**


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

It was Friday, the clock on the sill shining a red 5:31 in the room. Clothes were laid out on the bed ranging from super girly to gender neutral. The windows on the computer were full of tabs, explaining what a girl should wear, do and act on a date. Yuugi's foot tapped nervously against the ground as she sat, cross legged on the ground biting the inside of her cheek.

All this panic and preparation and she still wasn't sure if she was going.

Heck, it wasn't like this was her first date. She had been on a few, admittedly several of them being with Rebecca in the few times she had managed to trick Yuugi into going on one. There had also been that one time he had asked Anzu on a date. That had been really nerve racking until she/he realized Anzu didn't know it was a date. So in a way, this was her first date, at least as a girl it was.

And now she was off track. Should she go or not?

She glanced at the clock. 5:37. If she was going she had to leave now.

Grumbling to herself, Yuugi grabbed a pair of skinny jeans and a quarter sleeve dark blue blouse. It had several dark beads trailing down the sides, adding a little bling to the outfit. It was one of the more girly outfits she had, and more appropriate for a date. So she sucked up her man pride and put it on, because she should at least start getting used to it.

She dragged a brush through her hair, double checked in the mirror and then set off, making sure to lock the door behind her.

 _I guess that answers that question_ thought Yuugi, realizing that she hadn't actually decided to go. She was still unsure about this, but it couldn't hurt to at least go and take a look.

Twenty minute later, she arrived, walking to the fountain in the middle of the square. She glanced around, hoping to spot her date and decide if she was going to stay.

 _Mai said he stands out, but I don't see anyone that-_

Her eyes stopped moving, latching onto a presence several yards away from her. If that wasn't Ryuji then she didn't know who was.

He was tall and thin, with dark hair pulled into a ponytail, several strands still hanging down his face. His eyes were lined heavily with eyeliner, bright green eyes popping out from the mass of black. His clothes were as flashy as his face, dark jeans with chains and a bright red vest over a graphic t-shirt.

 _That guy stands out,_ though, maybe it wasn't her date him. He seemed to be already talking to other girls, so perhaps she was wrong.

The man's eyes caught hers. She almost looked away, but the way his face lit up, it was as if he recognized her. Wait, did he just wave at her?

Yuugi waited as the man said goodbye to the girls, coming up to her. He gave a smirk, one Yuugi recognized as a flirtatious one and held out a hand.

"Ryuji Otogi, at your service." He said. "It's nice to meet you Yuugi."

Yuugi took his hand, giving it a shake. The man exuded confidence and sex. There was no other description for it. He held himself in a way the spoke that he knew exactly how appealing he was and enjoyed flaunting it. Totally not fair. Yuugi had never been able to pull that off aura when she had been a man.

"How did you know it was me?" said Yuugi, letting go of his hand. "I thought Mai said she wouldn't give you my picture."

"I snuck into her files and took a peak." Said Ryuji, not one hint of apology in his expression.

Yuugi couldn't help but smile. It sounded like something Marik would do, except he would have changed a few things then proceed to pout when Yami caught him and made him change it back.

"Shall we go then?" said Ryuji.

"Sure." Said Yuugi, banishing the scenario from her head. She had come, might as well go. Perhaps it would help her sort out her feelings. "Where to first?"

"Have you had dinner yet?" he asked.

Yuugi shook her head.

"Good. I know a nice place not too far from here."

Ryuji held out an elbow and it took Yuugi a second to realize he meant to escort her. Feeling a little awkward, she looped her arm through his, letting him lead her down the road. As they walked, they talked about a few light topics, getting to know each other.

Soon they arrived at the restaurant. It really had been close like Ryuji had said. It wasn't too fancy and had a nice casual feel to it. They ordered their food quickly, Yuugi already feeling like her stomach was eating her insides as they continued to converse.

"I'm actually surprised you came." Said Ryuji, taking a bite from the free bread. "Probably twenty percent of the dates Mai sets me up with actually show up."

"Really?" said Yuugi, genuinely surprised. "Why? You're plenty handsome so they can't hold that against you."

Ryuji's smile grew wider and he gave Yuugi a wink. "Already quite flirtatious aren't you? If I didn't see your file, I wouldn't have through you just emerged last month." Then his eyes did an up and down, taking her in.

Yuugi rolled her own. "Or maybe I just forget I'm a girl and that complements come out as being flirty, and don't go checking my file again. That's an invasion of privacy."

"Don't worry." Said Ryuji holding up his hands. "I didn't see anything sensitive, like your three sizes. I figured I'd just see it for myself."

 _What a pervert_ Thought Yuugi. No, that wasn't a right. It was more like he was more honest about his thoughts then most men. She just wasn't the type of girl that took them as complements. Instead she found it a little demeaning. Compared to Yami, the few complements he had given had been much more tasteful.

"I actually wasn't sure I'd come either." Said Yuugi, thinking out loud. "I just found myself here before I could convince myself it was a bad idea."

"Well hopefully you don't regret it now." Said Ryouji with another wink. "I did promise that you'd enjoy yourself."

Yuugi gave a snort, enjoying his presence. Sure Ryuji was overt in his attentions and it kinda felt weird, but at least he wasn't boring. The food came soon after and they continued to talk, Yuugi finding out more about Ryuji.

He graduated high school two years ago, opting to go straight into business instead of college. From the little she could piece together, he enjoyed his work, though was impatient to climb the ranks in the company. Apparently his father was a big deal and he wanted to be the same.

She also found out he _was_ a compete pervert. Probably up there with Bakura, just not as crass about it. But he was also fun and had a lot of energy. Yuugi found herself trying to determine if she could see herself liking him. That was the goal of the date after all wasn't it?

They finished their food, Yuugi stomach happily full.

"You ready to go?" said Ryuji, holding out a hand to help her out of the seat. She took it, letting him pull her out of the bench. To her surprise, he didn't let of her hand. Instead he held on, walking her out of the restaurant.

They continued to walk through the streets, the evening becoming darker as the sun went down. The nights were becoming chilly and she would have wished for a coat, had her mind not been preoccupied with her predicament. She stared at their hands, trying to figure out what she thought about it.

"-Hey, Yuugi. Did you hear what I said?"

Yuugi jumped slightly, embarrassed.

"No.. sorry I wasn't listening." She said with an apologetic smile.

Ryuji smirked. "You've got your head in the clouds tonight Yuugi. What's on your mind?"

"I'm trying to figure out some things is all." Said Yuugi with a shrug. "Mostly trying to figure out if I could like guys."

Ryuji raised an eyebrow. "What, did a friend confess to you or something?"

Yuugi couldn't help blushing, unable to comment.

Ryuji whistled. "First time I've been on a date for that reason. Most just wanted practice before going on a date that mattered to them. That or they just wanted to get some. So what do you think so far Yuugi? Are you falling for me?"

 _Not one bit_ thought Yuugi with a mental sigh. There just wasn't anything about Ryuji that appealed to her that way. She had realized it especially with the holding hands. It just felt off. Like it wasn't supposed to happen. There was no energy in the contact and it felt more like dead weight than anything else. Guess that answered her question about being able to like guys.

Her mood instantly dampened, thinking about how sad Yami would probably be once he got her answer. Her rejection.

She could almost see it, the scene even worse than the first time she had rejected him. His face falling as the hope she had dangled in front of him was wrenched away, leaving him broken. It would create another wall, this one probably harder the break than the previous. How was their friendship going to survive this time? She didn't want to lose him.

Or maybe… she was being presumptuous thinking that Yami liked her that much. Sure, he said he wouldn't be fine if she rejected him, but everyone felt like that with a crush. Maybe he might recall the confession before she could reject him. Perhaps she thought too highly of his regard for her.

"You ok Yuugi?" said Ryuji, coming up to her. "You got really quiet all of a sudden."

Yuugi gave a sigh, then smiled at Ryuji, covering up her dark mood by shoving it down.

"It's nothing." Said Yuugi, smile still affixed. "I just realized I lost something is all."

* * *

 **Thank you Neko Yasha of the Sky, catgirl505, Guest, Madolche Anjelly, Mistoka, AnimaniAshley, SkyNakama27, Kichou, Hiei Dragon Girl, and ForeverWildfire2.0 for your reviews!**

 **Neko Yasha of the Sky, thanks for all your reviews! Yeah I know that the beginning of the other manga included weeks of being in the hospital before the main character was able to go to school, but I decided to cut it at the start. Didn't want to deal with it. =P And interesting point with the intention. That's a good point to make, though sometimes we could mistake their intentions so we must be careful. I'm flattered you took the time to re read this. I tried to make it so that if you re-read it, knowing what Yami was thinking you could spot some small things. Especially since I know what he's thinking in every situation but you guys don't. XD Perhaps more Yami chapters will appear in the future...**

 **AnimaniAshley, lol. Glad that you could learn something new. XD**


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Perhaps Yuugi should have chosen a different way to allude to her new revelation. As it was, she and Ryuji spent the next ten minutes looking for a non-existent keychain she had supposedly dropped.

"Sorry Yuugi." Said Ryuji, getting to his feet after checking under a bench they had passed earlier. "I don't think we'll be able to find it."

"Like I said, it's fine." Said Yuugi, wishing he had listened to her ten minutes ago. "It was just a random thing I got. It's not a big deal."

"Still, that sucks." Said Ryuji, rubbing the back of his head and blowing out a breath of air. Then his face lit up in excitement. "Hey, how about we get you a new one? You know, to commemorate our time together."

He pointed to a shop on the strip, a grin on his face.

"Sure, why not?" Said Yuugi with a shrug. She had been meaning to get something for her house key anyway.

They entered the little shop, looking around at all the nick-knacks. As they walked down an isle, two girls swept pass, giggling and sending glances at Ryuji. Yuugi couldn't help noticing that one of them had quite the plunging neckline, highlighting her great assets.

Ryuji eyed them back, giving them a small wink as they passed. The two gave silent squeals, chatting excitedly with each other as they walked away, glancing back at Ryuji several times.

"You know." Said Yuugi bringing his attention back to her. "If you wanted to get their number you could have just asked. I wouldn't have been offended, despite being on a date with you."

"Why Yuugi." Said Ryuji, brushing his bangs out of his face with a flirtatious flick. "Are you perhaps jealous? You shouldn't be." He came beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. She was so much shorter then him she was more like an arm rest.

Yuugi resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "And why is that?"

"Because you're the one I'm on a date with."

This time she let out a snort. She couldn't help it. Big breasts were obviously his type if his constant staring at the waiter's cleavage during dinner had meant anything. Suddenly his friendship with Mai made more sense.

Inwardly, Yuugi was glad to discover she wasn't his type. At least he wouldn't be hurt when she said she didn't was a repeat at the end of the night.

She spotted revolving stand, hundreds of keychains dangling from hooks. Yuugi's eyes lit up in excitement.

"They have duel monster keychains here?" she said, eagerly hurrying forward to riffle through the find. Even their shop didn't have little trinkets like this. And they were all chibis too. Awesome!

"I take it you like duel monsters." Chuckled Ryuji as he coolly browsed the keychains. "You're all excited. It's cute."

"Sure, make fun of me." Huffed out Yuugi. "I don't expect you to understand."

"No you mistake me." Said Ryuj. "I meant it as a complement. Besides, my family works for Pegasus, specifically in dungeon dice monsters. It'd be hypocritical for me to mock you for liking duel monsters."

"That's what you want to pursue in?" said Yuugi pausing in her browsing. "You want to work with games?"

"Of course, It's my passion!" said Ryuji, some real excitement in his eyes. There was none of the fake swagger from before, a genuine excitement as he fingered a chain with Summoned Skull on it. "I helped my dad design the game in the first place. I think I could bring a lot to the game, and the company in general."

"You're quite ambitious." Said Yuugi.

"It makes be more appealing doesn't it?"

Yuugi smirked "Well, it makes you more relatable. I help my Gramps run a game shop. It's not exactly what you're doing but it is similar."

"What game shop does he run?" asked Ryuji.

"It's called the Kame game shop." said Yuugi. "It's small, but Gramps has put a lot of work into it. We've got quite a few loyal customers."

"Interesting." said Ryuji, and he looked like he meant it. "Maybe I'll have to come by one day and check it out."

"Don't think you'll get special treatment just cause we're friends." teased Yuugi.

Ryuji chuckled appreciatively.

Yuugi's eyes fell on two certain keychains crowded behind all the others near the bottom. She squatted down, for once glad she was so short. She wouldn't have noticed them otherwise.

Carefully, she took the other keychains off the hook, delighted as she grabbed the two near the back and pulled them out. One depicted a small human wearing black and red robes with silver hair covering one eye. The other was a man wearing a dark purple robe, a long teal staff in his hand. The Silent Magician, and the Dark Magician, two of Yuugi and Yami's favorite monsters respectively.

The two magicians turned in her palm as she grinned in delight. There was no way she wasn't going to buy these two. They practically were made for them.

"Did you find something you like?" said Ryuji

"Yup." Said Yuugi, standing up and showing them to him.

"Dark magician and Silent Magician." Said Ryuji with a nod. "So which one are you going to get?"

"Both." Said Yuugi. "One is for a friend. He really likes the Dark Magician."

At least now Yuugi had a present for Yami on his birthday since she had already used Exodia. Well, at least part of it. A simple keychain wasn't enough of a present for her standards, but it was a start. He would probably be delighted though. She honestly just wanted to race home to call him over and show him the keychains.

She chuckled at the thought of him teasing her for being happy about such a simple thing. He would probably smirk, mocking her while he slipping the keychain onto his lanyard, refusing to admit that he liked it until she was properly riled up.

Yuugi was struck with a realization. Her fogged mind seemed to clear up, leaving her shocked at the clarity of her epiphany. It came in a rush that made her face heat up as the feelings hit her, making her choke.

She wanted to see Yami. No, she _craved_ to see him. More than anyone else, she wanted to be with him. The desire was so bad that she was twitchy from the nervous energy. It felt like light and air were filling up her chest, those funny feelings that had been so mysterious coming back in full swing.

How many times had she thought about him tonight? More than she probably should have. She'd missed his presence while on her date with Ryuji. She'd found herself comparing the two as she tried to sort her feelings. Well now she knew them, and she had no idea how to control them because them were completely overwhelming!

But then… why had she come to the conclusion that she didn't like Yami? She glanced at Ryuji, immediately realizing her mistake. She had thought about liking Ryuji, not liking guys, and had come up with a big negative. But now, standing with someone else, all she wanted to do was race home to see Yami, to talk and laugh with him like she always did. To be in his presence.

The calm warm atmosphere she was so used to wasn't there. She hadn't noticed it until she tried to replace it, realizing how short others came to drawing out her own happiness. It was as Mai had said. She had been too close to see what she had. What she felt. It was like living without AC for a day in 105 degree weather. She didn't appreciate it until it wasn't there, only to realize how much she relied on it. Bad analogy, but it was what she could come up with at the moment… and all she wanted at that moment was her AC.

Yuugi let out short laugh, eventually turning into a full on laughing fit. She couldn't help it. Her feelings were making her giddy. Anzu was going to laugh herself silly when she learned Yuugi's _'trigger'_ had been a pair of chibi duel monster keychains.

"What's up with you?" said Ryuji, looking concerned.

"I-It's n-nothing." Said Yuugi, trying to get her laughter under control. Man she felt like a mess of delight.

"Ohh no." said Ryuji, holding up a finger. "Last time you said that you had lost your keychain. Now spill."

"I just realized," said Yuugi, her grin so large it hurt. "I didn't lose it. _I don't have to lose it_!"

"Ok..." said Ryuji, his own smile slowly spreading across his face. No doubt her excitement was infecting him. "I'm not sure what's going on, but you didn't lose a keychain did you?"

Yuugi burst into laughter again, ignoring the looks from the other customers. In her need to express her overwhelming joy, she grabbed Ryuji in a hug. Ryuji, still confused, gave her head a pat. She pealed herself off of him a bit, grinning at him as she opened her mouth to thank him.

"Yuugi, is that you?"

Turning her head, she saw Marik standing in the shop, shocked as he stared. Yuugi's heart dropped, the difference between the high and plunge so vast she couldn't speak for a second. Marik's shock morphed into anger, and Yuugi realized why she felt a creeping of shame in her.

Marik had just spotted her hugging Ryuji while laughing hysterically a week after Yami had confessed to her.

This… could not look good.

* * *

 **I know many of you thought Yami might see her, but I had Marik planned to crash like five chapters ago. Haha, you shall see why I did that soon. :D**

 **ForeverWildfire2.0** **: You're a smart cookie. You nailed it on the head. XD**

 **Thank you catgirl505, guest, SkyNakama27, Mistoka, Madolche Anjelly, AnimaniAshley, kaitenzero, ForeverWildfire2.0, devilface1034, and Hiei Dragon Girl for your reviews!**

 **And holy cow, happy 200 reviews! You guys are da best!**


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

"H-hey Marik." Said Yuugi, taking a step away from Ryuji to create some distance. "What's up?"

Now it was Ryuji's turn to give Yuugi a funny look.

"You know him?" Ryuji said. He looked between Yuugi and Marik, a distinct frown in his expression.

"Yuugi." Said Marik, pointing at Ryuji. "What are you doing here with _him_?"

Before Yuugi could answer, Ryuji stepped up.

"She's on a date with me. So why don't you run off and bother someone else?"

Ryuji wrapped his arm around Yuugi, who stiffened immediately. It was partially from the gesture, and mostly from the murderous look on Marik's face.

"You're on a date?" he said, the words making Yuugi shiver.

"I just said-" started Ryuji, but Marik cut him off.

"I wasn't talking to you, you moron." spat Marik. "Here I thought you were different Yuugi, but it looks like you're just like all the other whores. Did his confession mean nothing to you?"

"Marik." Said Yuugi. "I can explain myself. Just-"

"Don't call her that!" said Ryuji, finally removing his arm. He stepped forward, a vein bulging in his temple. "Apologize."

Marik sneered at Ryuji, coming forward as well to peer down at him. "So quick to judge, just like always. You always did have a knack for being played."

"And you always had a knack for being an asshole. It's no wonder your family is ashamed of you."

Yuugi squeaked as Marik reached forward, gathering Ryuji's shirt in a tight grip, jerking the slightly shorter man forward. The two had entered a world of their own, the argument leaving the original confrontation as their reasoning went out the window. Obviously there was some bad blood between them.

"Shut your lying face." Marik growled.

Ryuji just smirked. "No, lying is what your family does best."

"And backstabbing is in your blood. No wonder you two get along."

"You-"

"That's enough!" shouted Yuugi. She wriggled her way between them, again glad for her small stature as she pressed her hands against Marik's chest to make him back up. It was like pushing against a brick wall.

"Please stop Marik, Ryuji." She pleaded. "This is not the pace to be fighting."

The shop keeper had come over to stop the fight, too scared to get closer. Several customers were watching, torn between alarm and interest. A few even had their phones out and were taking video.

For a moment Yuugi wasn't sure they had heard her. The two continued to sneer at each other, ignoring both the crowd and Yuugi

Then Marik released his grip on Ryuji's shirt.

"You're not worth it." He spat, "Neither of you are."

He turned on his heel, and marched out the door.

"Marik!"

Yuugi followed him, running through the automatic doors to catch up with the man. He was already a good distance down the pavement, his longer legs forcing her to run to catch up.

"Wait!" she called, "Listen Marik, I'm just trying to figure things out. It's not what it looks like-"

Marik turned so suddenly that Yuugi ran into him, bouncing off of his chest. The man now towered over her, his image imposing. Yuugi's legs started to tremble. In that moment Yuugi knew she was seeing the rumored dark side of Marik. The one that made grown men cry in their sleep.

"If you want to live." He said quietly, his voice making her very soul shiver. "I suggest you back off."

This time she didn't follow when he turned and walked away, waves of anger rolling off his retreating back.

Yuugi slid to the ground, her trembling legs unable to hold her weight. Why had this happened? She hadn't been doing anything wrong.

* * *

A minute later Ryuji found her still on the ground. He held out a hand, which she took gratefully as he pulled her to her feet. She couldn't help but notice a different aura around Ryuji.

Gone was the friendly nature, instead he was regarding Yuugi with a cautious eye. There was an obvious change in how he viewed her from her affiliation with Marik. The fight hung between them, and she wasn't sure how to breach the subject. Then she noticed he was holding a plastic bad.

"What's in that?" said Yuugi.

Ryuji held it up, allowing the change in subject.

"The two keychains." He said. "It looked like you really wanted them."

Ah yes, the keychains. She had only realized her feelings minutes ago, yet it already felt a life time away from the drama. Gosh why was life such a mess?

"Thanks." Said Yuugi, taking the bag from Ryuuji. "How much do I owe you?"

"You don't owe me anything." Said Ryuji. "It's my treat."

"I appreciate it." Said Yuugi, and she truly did. "But I feel that they will be meaningless unless I buy them myself."

Ryuji accepted the answer and the money from Yuugi, then pocketed it. The awkward silence again fell on them. Yuugi couldn't stand it anymore. She pointed at the fountain they had met by earlier that day.

"Want to sit down?" she said.

"Sure."

They walked to one of the unoccupied wooden benches, sitting down in silence. The street lights turned on as the darkness settled, lamps under the fountain water bathing it in a yellow light. Most people were off the streets at this point, only the occasional couple passing through as they enjoyed their weekend date.

Ryuji sat in silence, brow furrowed, his thoughts obviously unpleasant as he ignored Yuugi's presence. She allowed him a few minutes to think before her curiosity got the best of her.

"What was that back there?" said Yuugi. "How do you know Marik?"

Ryuji came out of his thoughts, glancing at her before returning his gaze to the ground.

"I'd rather not talk about it." He said.

"Ok." Said Yuugi, leaning back against the bench and looking up at the sky. She couldn't see too many stars from the light pollution around them.

"What about you?" said Ryuji, "How do you know Marik?"

"He goes to my school." Said Yuugi, grimacing. "We're friends. Well, hopefully we will be again once this all blows over."

Yuugi had always known he was a hot head, but she'd never had that anger directed at me. It shouldn't have been possible, but Marik was scarier than Bakura. Or maybe that was because she knew Bakura wouldn't hurt her... not too much at least.

Marik on the other hand- she hadn't cultivated that friendship enough to be sure.

"He actually has friends?" said Ryuji, and Yuugi lowered her head to see Ryuji raising his eyebrows. "Now that's a new one."

"I'm not the only friend he has." Said Yuugi with a frown. "There are several of us at school that he hangs out with. Well, more like I'm working on it. He does tend to be a loner."

"I suggest staying away from him Yuugi." Said Ryuji. "For your own safety. You saw how mad he was that you were on a date with me. He's not stable."

"I... actually don't think this has much to do with you." Said Yuugi honestly. "I think he would have been mad at me no matter who I was on a date with."

"Oh, trust me." Said Ryuji seriously. "I'm sure me being you date did _not_ help."

Based on the obvious bad blood between them, probably not.

"But why would he be mad you were on a date?" said Ryuji with a frown. It turned darker a second later. "Don't tell me he's the one that confessed to you?"

"No! That's not him." Said Yuugi quickly. "Remember that I said he had other friends at school?"

Ryuji nodded.

"One of his friends confessed to me."

"I see." Said Ryuji, putting a hand to his chin in thought. "So he thought you were cheating on his friend so he got mad. Oh wow, and having your date be me really is the icing on the cake."

"Why do you guys hate each other so much?" said Yuugi, curious.

"Let's just say that the Sennen family haven't done my family any favors." Said Ryuji darkly.

Yuugi blinked.

"Sennen?" said Yuugi. "I thought Marik's last name was Namu?"

"It is." Said Ryuji. "He was adopted by the Sennen family a few years ago but chose to keep his last name. His parents had been good friends with the Sennens and they took him in after the Nemus died. Bet they regret it now since he turned out to be such a wild one."

Yuugi was shocked. She had no idea that Marik was an orphan. She remembered his family had been friendly and influential with the Sennen's, but not that portion of his background. Surely she would have remembered it.

"So he's technically related to Yami Sennen, correct?" asked Yuugi.

Ryuji finally turned in his seat fully to face her, concern etched into his features. "Don't tell me you're friends with him as well?"

"Well…"

She wasn't sure how to answer. Ryuji obviously didn't think well of her friend, but she couldn't understand why. Ryuji seemed like a good person. Sure he was a little gregarious, but it was more endearing than annoying. That is... as long as it wasn't directed at her through flirting.

Ryuji's eyes narrowed, and she could almost see the points clicking in his head as they shot open wide.

"Don't tell me." Said Ryuji quietly. "Is he the friend that confessed to you?"

The darkness wasn't enough to hide the tinge of pink that highlighted her face. Darn fountain lights.

"Oh no." said Ryuji, instantly concerned. "I've seen that look before. Don't think I don't know what it is."

"What?" said Yuugi, her question sounding fake even to her ears.

"You've fallen for his charms haven't you?" said Ryuji with a groan. "Yuugi, you'll only set yourself up for heartbreak. He never dates a girl longer than a week. Half the time he takes their virginity and then dumps them the next day."

Yuugi couldn't help it. She let out a snort.

"You think that's funny?" said Ryuuji, instantly upset.

"No, it's not." Said Yuugi. "But it is because Yami would never do that."

"He would and he does. Don't let yourself be fooled."

Something was off. There had to be some sort of misunderstanding. She knew Yami wasn't the type of person Ryuji just described him to be, but he appeared to be genuinely concerned for Yuugi.

"Listen Yuugi." Said Ryuji, placing a hand on each of her shoulders. "I'm saying this as a friend. Don't go anywhere near the Sennen family, especially the son. They are a bunch of cut throat conniving backstabbers. I'm sure all Yami wanted was to get in your pants. Don't go anywhere near him."

"I'm sorry Ryuji." Said Yuugi with a sigh. "I can tell you are genuinely concerned for me, but I can't believe that about Yami. He's always been a good friend, and I believe in him."

"Yuugi-" he stopped, then shook his head. "I can see no matter what I say you won't believe me."

"That makes the two of us." Said Yuugi.

Ryuji let out a sigh, standing up and glancing at her over his shoulder.

"How about this." Said Ryuji. "Why don't you come with me tomorrow to a banquet?"

"A banquet?" said Yuugi, curious.

"It's a high end deal with a bunch of businessmen and such." He said. "Yami should be there. You'll see him in his environment. Then you'll see what kind of person he is."

Ah, that's right. She had heard Yami mention a banquet coming up he couldn't avoid. It would explain why he hadn't just changed their date to tomorrow night.

The idea of going made her both excited and scared. She desperately wanted to see him again, but she was also scared of the environment based on the stories she had heard. Did she want to venture into that mess?

Then she thought about Yami. If she wanted to date him, she'd have to enter that world eventually. Might as well go and surprise him. Then she could explain what happened tonight if needed. Marik was sure to misconstrue the whole thing and tattle to Yami. She wouldn't be surprised if he broke Yami's phone just to stop her from calling him.

"I'll go." Said Yuugi, determined. "I want to see the kind of world Yami lives in."

And she wanted to tell him her feelings.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **Thank you my kind reviewers ForeverWildfire2.0, kaitenzero, Hiei Dragon Girl, AnimaniAshley** **, Mistoka, Guest 1 and 2,** **Madolche Anjelly, SkyNakama27** **,** **catgirl505, and V. Copperhex! I lol'ed quite a bit at some your your reviews. Life just can't go smoothly for Yuugi can it?  
**


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

"He's still not picking up?"

"Nope." Said Yuugi, hanging up her phone. "Still goes straight to voice mail. I'm sure Marik had something to do with it."

A bobby pin stabbed Yuugi's scalp and she winced at the sudden pain.

"Woops, Sorry Yuugi." Said Anzu, removing the offending pin and placing it in her hair at a different angle.

Anzu continued to place pins strategically though Yuugi's hair, who was busy scrolling through her phone. The two of them were currently in Yuugi's room, Anzu helping her get ready for the banquet she was leaving for in an hour. Determined not to look like a hobo, Yuugi had called in reinforcements. Anzu had agreed to help Yuugi with hair, makeup and whatever else a girl did to get ready for these sorts of things.

Yuugi's finger paused above Yami's number, resisting the urge to call again. She knew what the result would be, but that didn't stop her from trying. She had been trying to get a hold of him all day, sending several texts and calls. He hadn't responded to any of them. Whether this was because Marik had hijacked Yami's phone or had poisoned him against her, she had no way of knowing.

In a moment of desperation, she had started for his house, already halfway there when she remembered the last time she had tried to go there. Forget the front door, she'd been denied at the intercom! It didn't help that since confessing, Yami had been giving her a little more space to figure things out, which was why he hadn't slept over for the weekend like he normally would have.

"I'm going to kill Marik the next time I see him." Said Yuugi for probably the thousandth time. Why hadn't she just told Yami what was going on in the beginning? Then this wouldn't have become a problem.

"Somehow." Said Anzu, "I think you'd end up the corpse in that fight."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence."

Anzu chuckled, reaching for the death stick she called a curling iron. Once day, perhaps, Yuugi would learn how this all worked, but for today she was willing to just sit back and let Anzu doll her up.

"You probably think I'm fickle, don't you?" said Yuugi after a while. "For saying I liked you and then turning around and saying I like Yami less than a month later."

It had only taken a few minutes for Anzu to realize the reason for Yuugi's sudden desire to go to one of the parties Yami had been inviting her to for years. The girl was sharp.

"Are you kidding?" said Anzu. "It makes total sense. You and Yami always had a different atmosphere between you two. For the longest time I thought it was because you were just such good friends, but that's not it. It's because you two were important to each other in a special way."

She had a small smile as she gazed at something Yuugi couldn't see.

"No Yuugi, you aren't fickle." She continued. "Even when you liked me, Yami had always been your top priority hadn't he?"

Probably. Most likely. Yeah. The two of them had always been inseparable.

Anzu walked out from behind Yuugi, surveying her work for a second before nodding.

"Alright. I'm done with the hair. Let's start with the makeup."

"Not too much please!" said Yuugi, desperately. She had no desire to look like she was trying too hard. That, and it still felt a little odd.

"Don't worry." Said Anzu, holding small round case of what looked like flesh colored cream. "You're got very clear skin so you won't need a lot of foundation. Just some touch up really. And I'll keep the liner and eyeshadow to a minimum, but the mascara is a requirement! You should probably intermittently check to make sure it's not smudging."

"I have no idea what you just said." Said Yuugi, looking up as Anzu put the weird cream right below her bottom lid.

"This stuff gets rid of your eye bags." Said Anzu, holding up the case. "The other stuff gets rid of red spots and I'll make your eyes pop out with minimum makeup."

"Much better."

Anzu continued to ramble about the makeup, trying to help Yuugi understand the basics of contouring… whatever the heck that was. But Yuugi's head wasn't in it. She was still thinking about the banquet tonight and seeing Yami. Would he be happy to see her? Or would he refuse to listen, feeling betrayed?

"Do you think this is a good idea?" said Yuugi. The fear had issued from her mouth before she could stop it.

Anzu, who was holding a long thin brush and eyeshadow, paused.

"Don't be scared Yuugi." Said Anzu, "Just don't forget what's important when you're there and you'll be fine."

"What do you mean?"

Anzu returned the brush to her color pallet, loading the bristles with powder before telling Yuugi to shut her eyes. Yuugi obliged, letting Anzu brush the color across her lids.

"When you're there, there are probably going to be some nasty comments." Said Anzu. "You have dealt with bullies who abused you physically, but those that tear you down with words can be just as damaging. You can't let them get to you tonight."

"I know." Said Yuugi, but it was easier said than done. Yuugi didn't have an abundant amount of self-esteem in the first place. It didn't help that she still wasn't confident in her identity as a girl.

Anzu must have heard the concern in her voice. Yuugi heard the sound of the makeup being put down and opened her eyes. Anzu took Yuugi's hands into her own, smiling at her.

"Have I ever told you why we became good friends?" said Anzu.

"No" said Yuugi, confused. "I didn't realize you had to have a reason to become friends with someone."

Anzu let out a laugh.

"And that Yuugi, is part of the reason we are friends." Said Anzu with a smile. "You have always been amazing."

Yuugi blushed at the complement. Where was this coming from?

"Do you remember when I got hurt at dance practice in middle school?" said Anzu.

"I do." Said Yuugi with a nod. It had been the first year they had met. Yami had been Yuugi's only friend at the beginning since the bullies kept most people away. Anzu had been the popular girl, much like she was now, and even then Yuugi had found her attractive.

"Do you know I almost quit dance because of that?" said Anzu.

"Did you really?" said Yuugi. "Why?"

"Because I felt like it wasn't worth it." Said Anzu with a shrug. "I was in the hospital for three days. I had lost all my roles in the performance and none of my friends had so much as sent me a text to see how I was feeling. I was questioning my worth and if anyone actually liked me. I was at the lowest I had ever been in my life."

Anzu smiled warmly at Yuugi, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

"I was about to tell my parents that I wanted to quit." Said Anzu. "But then I was surprised by a visit from a boy I had never talked to. A boy who sat next to me in class, always playing some sort of game. A boy that was bullied because he was small and best friends with the popular Yami Sennen."

"I was so surprised that he knew who I was, and I was even more surprised when he brought me flowers and a card with a message from each of my classmates to wish me well."

"Did I really do that?" said Yuugi. "I barely remember…" She remembered visiting Anzu, but not the card and flowers.

Anzu let out another laugh.

"You would forget about that wouldn't you?" said Anzu. "That's just the way you are. Always helping people and never asking for anything in return. I didn't cry until you left, but those flowers and card were what pushed me to keep going Yuugi. I wouldn't be dancing if it wasn't for you."

"Oh." Said Yuugi, now feeling even more embarrassed. "Well I'm sure Yami helped getting everyone's signature. I doubt anyone would have listened to me…"

Anzu slapped her hands on either side of Yuugi's face, making her jump as Anzu squished her cheeks.

"It wasn't just that instance." Said Anzu, looking intently into Yuugi's eyes. "That was just what made me notice you. You are a kind and thoughtful person Yuugi. You are always thinking of others before yourself, looking after people and listening to their problems. There's a reason Yami likes you and I guarantee it's because he can see how special you are. You bring people together Yuugi. Our gang of friends would not exist if it weren't for you."

Yuugi was too shocked to reply. She had no idea that Anzu felt that way about her. Through Anzu's description, Yuugi indeed sounded like an amazing person. Was that really her friend's perception of her?

Anzu let go of Yuugi's face, grabbing a black pencil.

"When someone tries to tear you down tonight, or you feel your strength waver." Said Anzu. "Don't forget what I told you. Remember what is important. Appearance and money have no true value when placed against kindness and love." Then she smiled like a minx. "Besides, by the time I'm done with you, Yami's going to have to fight all the boys to keep them off you."

Yuugi couldn't help the feeling or terror in her. "I told you to keep the makeup light!" she said.

"Nonsense." Said Anzu with a huff. "This is light, but that doesn't mean you can't be a show stopper. Sometimes less can be more."

Yuugi reluctantly closed her eyes, allowing Anzu to start lining them.

"You know Anzu." Said Yuugi, chewing on her lips. "You call me kind, but you do realize you're the one helping me tonight in my moment of crisis. While I appreciate your words, it's ironic coming from you as you help me."

She didn't deserve the high praise. After all, Anzu was the one over here helping her get ready. And then everyone had been so supportive of her through her emergence. How was she considered the thoughtful one?

Even so, she did feel better at Anzu's words, even if she was horribly biased.

"Oh hush." Said Anzu happily. "I've been dying to dress you up for ages. This just gave me a valid excuse to do so." She withdrew her hand with a flourish, grinning like crazy. "I must say, I outdid myself this time. You look gorgeous!"

Yuugi slid off the chair, taking a second to balance herself in the short heels Ryuji had bought with her yesterday. He had also gotten the dress she was wearing, insisting that she had to wear it tonight. Since she didn't have any money or any dresses nice enough for a banquet, so she had allowed it for now. She'd just pay him back later.

She crossed the short distance between the chair and the full length mirror in her room. Her mouth fell open in shock. Despite her hanging mouth, it did nothing to deter from the masterpiece created from the magic of makeup and hair products.

Her ebony locks had been pulled back from her face, several layers of curls cascading down the back of her head. A decorative pin sat within them to complete the delicate look, her bangs swept expertly to the side with a single curl of blonde resting on her forehead. They matched the dress she was wearing, the fabric shimmering in a soft gold. It was a short dress, a sash emphasizing her small waist, the skirt flaring out and ending right above her knees. A few borrowed bracelets hung from her wrist, a matching studded necklace decorating her collarbone.

Then there was her face.

It continued to astound Yuugi how makeup could change a person's appearance. Her eyes looked twice as big, a single line of black winging out from her eyes. It made her look sweet. Cute and innocent. And since when had her eyelashes been that prominent? They were currently hitting her eyebrows due to how wide she was staring at her reflection.

"Holy Sh*t!" yelled Yuugi. "I'm a girl!"

"Yes Yuugi." Said Anzu. "That's kinda the point."

"But I'm a _girly_ girl." Said Yuugi, unable to tear her eyes from the reflection. "I look like flipping Cinderella! What the heck!"

"You make it sound like that's a bad thing."

Never did Yuugi feel more like a fake than standing here looking into her reflection. She'd been content as woman, as long as she didn't have to be girly like one. Now here she was, the only way she could look even more girly if she was wearing a wedding dress.

Yuugi had to quickly banished the mired of thoughts that image brought to her head.

"It's not too late for me to buy a pantsuit is it?" said Yuugi, voice weak. "I don't think I can leave the house looking like this."

"You look fine Yuugi." Said Anzu, coming to stand beside Yuugi, grinning like it was Christmas.

With the low heals, Yuugi was slightly taller than usual, coming up to Anzu's middle. Standing by Anzu, the epitome of what a woman should be in Yuugi's eyes, she didn't feel inferior. Their styles were different - Anzu looked sexy in her tube top while Yuugi looked cute - but she didn't feel less like a woman anymore. She felt… like an equal.

Yuugi let out a large breath of air, most of her nerves exiting with it. How many times was she going to have to rediscover a new side of herself before she felt comfortable with being female?

Anzu laughed, and Yuugi realized she must have said the last thoughts out loud.

"Oh Yuugi, that doesn't go away." She said with a grin. "I find myself constantly rediscovering my identity every day. It's the nature of life."

"I guess."

Yuugi smiled, the reflection's eye shining in anticipation. Even if Yami was mad at her, she was determined to get him to forgive her and want her back. Hopefully, looking like _this_ would work in her favor.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **Thank you lovely reviewers! AnimaniAshley, SkyNakama27, Hiei Dragon Girl, devilface1034, Neko Yasha of the Sky, Mistoka, ForeverWildfire2.0 , catgirl505 and Neko Yasha of the Sky**

 **Neko Yasha of the Sky: Woops. Thanks for pointing out the Duke slip. Didn't even notice it until you mentioned it. Yes, according to the Yugioh wiki, Ryuji = Duke. XD**

 **Hopefully this chapter answered your question devilface1034. (I forget that you guys don't know all the background info I do. XD)**


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Wow.

That was the only way Yuugi could describe it. She had no capability to describe the fancy décor or the immaculate people that mingled in the room. A small ensemble played live music in the corner, dozens of round tables filling the large banquet hall as people talked and ate, either standing or sitting in a group. A large portion of the hall was empty for people to talk and dance among their peers. This was obviously another world. Everything sparkled!

A hand pressed against her lower back.

"The novelty of it will fade." Said Ryuji, giving her a wink. He wore a light gray dress shirt and vest, the bandanna gone from his head, a single earing with a die hanging from his ear. He was dressed more casually than most of the guests, but it looked good on him. His personality just didn't scream suit and tie like the rest of the men in here. He fit in, unlike Yuugi who felt her insecurities come back again.

She took a deep breath, trying to remember what Anzu had told her.

 _Remember what is important. Beneath the splendor are normal human beings. I'll be fine._

It helped. Some of the blinding glitter faded and she could now make out individual people.

"Come on. Let's have you meet my friends." Said Ryuji

Ryuji led her into the room, passing people until they reached a table that already had two people seated in it. One was a guy who looked a little older than Yuugi. He had dark hair that shot out at the sides, yellow highlighting portions of it. He had serious blue eyes that were highlighted by the blue in his suite. The other looked around Yuugi's age, brown hair and an open expression that split into a smile and he waved at them as they approached.

"Hey Ryuji!" said the brunet, "How it hanging?"

"Good to see you Judai." Said Ryuji, giving the smaller man a high five, then holding out a fist and bumping it with the other one.

"Who's the girl?" said the one called Judai, indicating Yuugi.

"This my friends." Said Ryuji, pushing her slightly forward. "Is Yuugi. She's the one I went on a date with yesterday."

"Nice!" said Judai, giving Yuugi the thumbs up. Yuugi almost rolled her eyes at the gesture. Obviously they had misunderstood Ryuji's intentions.

"This, Yuugi." Said Ryuji, now talking to her. "Is Judai and Yusei."

"It's nice to meet you." Said Yuugi, giving the best bow she could manage in the heels. It didn't help that Yusei was studying her quietly, not having said a word yet. The scrutiny unnerved her.

"It's a little unusual for you to bring a date." Said Judai, obviously not done with the teasing. "Well... at least a female date."

"He brought me as a favor." Said Yuugi quickly before Ryuji replied with who knew what. "And besides, the date was also a favor. I just emerged a month ago and am trying to figure things out."

"Really?" he was shocked, looking her up and down. "Dang, I can't tell. You must have adjusted quickly."

Yuugi shrugged, not sure how she felt about the comment. She sat down next to him at the table and soon found herself talking with him nonstop. The boy had an abundance of energy and was easy to talk to. The food was being served as people entered, the waiters bringing their portions as they ate and talked.

Ten minutes into the dinner, she had decided she really liked Judai. He was bright and a little nosy, but created nice friendly conversation. Plus, it was easy to keep a look out for Yami. He didn't appear to be here yet.

"You seem distracted. said Yuusei, his deep voice making her jump. It was the first time he had talked. She had been under the impression he was ignoring her as he sat on the other side of Judai. "Who are you looking for?"

"She's looking for Yami." Said Ryuji. "Who else do all the young ladies pine after?"

"Oh no Yuugi." Said Judai, pulling a sympathetic face. "You're just asking for heart break."

"I'd give up if I were you." Said Yusei, eyes still unwavering on Yuugi. "He doesn't keep a girl longer than a week, let alone do serious relationships."

"I don't believe you." Said Yuugi firmly. "Yami isn't that kind of person."

"If you don't believe me then just see for yourself." Said Yusei. He pointed behind Yuugi, who turned in her seat. Her heart dropped at the sight.

There was Yami, looking resplendent in a sharp suite and tie, the dark fabric making him look imposing and strong. Even though he was several yards away, she could still make out those crimson eyes and handsome features. Seeing him brought back her feelings in a rush, making her face heat up. They stalled a second later when she saw that he wasn't alone.

A beautiful woman stood beside him, arm laced through his, obviously being escorted by Yami. It wouldn't have been as bad if she hadn't been so beautiful, or if they hadn't looked so perfect together.

Yami's head turned in her direction and she quickly turned the back of her head to him, praying he hadn't seen her.

"See Yuugi?" said Ryuji. "He's always got some blonde around his arms. Don't believe anything he tells you."

"Do any of you know him personally?" asked Yuugi.

"I do." Said Ryuji. "Or at least I did at one point. Let's say that friendship didn't last long."

"What happened?"

Ryuji started at the glass in his hand, swirling the contents slowly. Judai and Yusei waited, obviously already familiar with the story.

"It was when my family just started entering the business." Said Ryuji. "Barely a few weeks into our new deal with Pegasus, Yami started dating my sister."

Yuugi blinked, shocked. She should have realized that Yami had dated other girls before confessing to her, but she had never heard him say anything.

"Yami insisted it was only as a cover and that they had both agreed to it with no feelings involved." Continued Ryuji, and Yuugi's heart lifted again. "But then, a few months into dating, he got her pregnant."

"What?"

Yuugi couldn't believe it, but she couldn't deny the anger in Ryuji's expression as he clenched the glass so hard she was afraid it would break.

"The jerk had the audacity to say it wasn't his." Hissed Ryuji, glaring at the table cloth. "His family got involved and he didn't have to take any responsibility over the baby. She's now gone, heavens knows where, raising it herself."

"Ryuji." Said Yuugi slowly. "I'm so sorry."

Ryuji let out a breath, expression somber. "Now do you understand? Yami is not one to keep his word."

"I'm sorry, but I can't accept that."

Ryuji whipped his head towards her, angry and surprised at her admission.

"How can you be so blind?" said Ryuji. "He doesn't care that he ruined my sister's life. He's a selfish bastard that only does things for his own benefit. No one deserves a man like him."

"I wish to hear Yami's side before passing judgement." Said Yuugi firmly. "Besides, this is a story between you and Yami. He was precious to me before I met you. If given a choice, even without knowing the details, I would choose Yami."

Her face turned red when she just realized what she had said. The table fell silent, Ryuji and Judai started at her. Even Yusei appeared shocked.

"How refreshing." Said Yusei, looking mildly amused now that he had recovered. "No one here is usually that direct or loyal. I've got to admire you little lady, even if you are misguided."

"I'm not misguided." Said Yuugi, the heat slowly leaving her face. "I just know my friend and I know he would never do that."

"Yeah, about that." Said Judai, tilting his head at her. "How do you know Yami anyway? Did he hit on you at a grocery store or something?"

"No." said Yuugi. "He goes to my school. We've-"

Yuugi was interrupted by the sound of someone talking into the microphone. The slightly raised stage held a person Yuugi immediately recognized. Pegasus was a little hard to miss with that long silver hair and bright red suit.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen, to my little assembly." Said Pegasus, beaming at them, arms held out at his side. "I'd like to thank each and every one of you for coming to day to celebrate…"

Yuugi tuned out the rest of the speech, thinking about what Ryuji had said to her. Something was up. Forget that Yami had said that he liked her, it wasn't like him to do something like that. He was not the type of person to confess and then date someone else a second later, nor was the type to abandon someone for his own sake. Sure, Yami had come to this banquet with a date, but that didn't mean anything did it? There had to be more to the situation, much like her own date with Ryuji.

Speaking of her date, he appeared be feeling down as well, no longer sitting up straight in his seat. His face held a frown that said he was paying as much attention to the speech as Yuugi was. She felt a pang of guilt.

"Ryuji." She said softly. "Look, I think you're a good person and I know you're just trying to help, but I'm sure this has to be some sort of misunderstanding."

Ryuji pushed his chair back, standing up and looking down at her, anger and hurt in his expression. He ignored the people that glanced at him for being noisy during the speech.

"Don't say I didn't warn you Yuugi." He said.

Then he walked away, the pain in her chest growing as she watched him go. She stood up with the intention to follow him, then her eyes caught something from the side. A flash of crimson. Yami was staring straight at her.

She felt the blood drain from her face as their eyes locked onto each other.

* * *

 **Thanks mah friends AnimaniAshley, Hiei Dragon Girl, ForeverWildfire2.0, catgirl505, Madolche Anjelly, Yaminisu, devilface1034, V. Copperhex and guest for the reviews!**

 **Yaminisu: I can tell I worried you greatly. Well, let's just say that I don't believe in destroying a characters already established personality for the sake of conflict. It's the best and fastest way to get your readers ticked off at you. Seriously, character deaths are less upsetting than destroying a character's personality for the sake of cheap conflict.**

 **Dear guest: I wish to teach you something I think will help in the future. I have watched many times in fanfiction where an author will receive several reviews consisting of only "OMG update" or "When's the next chapter?". I've then seen said author get discouraged and upset about said reviews and drop the project all together. While I do not take offense and understand your enthusiasm (It makes me giggle), I am in the minority. For the future, I suggest adding other thoughts to the review other than your impatience to read the next chapter. Don't let this discourage you from reviewing (after all, we can't tell guests apart), but keep in mind the hard work the authors are doing for free for you readers and themselves. Love you all!**

 **-King of Doors**


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Yuugi was rooted to the spot as she stared, unblinking at Yami. He was sitting at a round table, his date by his side, not having noticed his lack of attention. Several seconds went by before she managed to shake herself from her stupor, realizing that she needed to move. She might be seated near the back, but several people were giving her strange looks for standing in the middle of Pegasus's speech.

Yuugi swallowed, before hesitantly mouthing at him. _Be right back_

He stared for a second, then nodded, and Yuugi's heart relaxed. He was confused, that much was obvious, but at least he hadn't turned away.

She hurried across the floor and through the side door, intending to find Ryuji. Only two turns later she found him, walking slowly through the corridor.

"Ryuji!"

The man glanced over his shoulder then stopped as she approached.

"What is it?" he said.

"Umm."

Now that she was here, she faltered, unsure of what to say. Ryuji kept staring at her, waiting.

"Look." said Yuugi, "I'm not trying to belittle what happened to your sister, nor am I trying to take sides-" Ryuji snorted. "-I just want to believe the best in my friends, both the new and the old. Can't it be possible that there's more to the story than what you know?"

"Not anything good." said Ryuji, folding his arms. "I tried talking to Yami about it once, but he wouldn't say anything. He just shut his mouth and told me to believe what I wanted to. Friends don't stab each other in the back like this."

A laugh rang through the corridor. Marik was walking towards them, a malicious smile spread across his face. The collar of his dress shirt was popped, hands resting in the pockets of his slacks as he strode towards them in a lazy yet deadly gate.

This… was not going to end well.

"No matter how many times I hear it, it still sounds pathetic." Said Marik. "All your belly aching for a sister that abandoned you."

"Shut your mouth if you know what's good for you!" said Ryuji, stiffening.

"Or what? You're going to make up rumors about me? Oooooh, I'm so scared."

Why were those two such idiots? Would it kill Marik not to goad Ryuji into a fight? They could have only been in each other's presence for more than a few seconds and they were already close to blows.

"Guys, you seriously need to stop this." Said Yuugi. Marik turned his attention to her.

"Glad to see you _whore_." Spat Marik. "You two make a good couple. Looks like Yami managed to dodge that bullet."

"And you're an idiot that doesn't listen." Said Yuugi, rolling her eyes. "Look, me and Ryuji are not dating. I'm here talk to Yami."

"What, so you can hurt him when you question him about the lies Otogi has been feeding you? Yeah, fat chance. You're as much a whore as his sister."

Ryuji came forward, slamming Marik against the wall with an arm. The picture on the wall trembled at the impact, Ryuji's face screwed up in rage.

"Don't you dare." Said Ryuji through clenched teeth. "Don't you dare make light of what happened to my sister. You're as guilty as Yami is."

"Yeah? And how do you figure?" said Marik, looking unconcerned. He was sneering, digging further into Ryuji's wounds with his words. "It's not like you were much help to her either, too caught up in saving the skin of your company to even notice that your sister left. Face it, you're a failure as a brother."

Ryuji's face turned red in rage.

"Guys, cut it out." Said Yuugi, coming forward and trying to pry Ryuji's arm off Marik.

"Stay out of this Yuugi." Said Ryuji.

"But if you'd just listen-"

"No, let the brat have his tantrum-"

There was a scuffle as they battled for dominance. Marik managed pushed Ryuji's arm off of him, leaving the wall and drawing back for a punch.

There was a crunch and pain exploded on Yuugi's face. Marik had drawn his elbow straight into her nose.

Yuugi cried out, more from shock than pain, cupping her hands over her face as blood began to pour from her nose.

"Son of a-"

"What the hell you'd do Marik?"

"I didn't do anything."

Yuugi swore again, the blood quickly staining her hands red. She bent her head forward, wincing when it hurt too much to pinch the bridge of her nose. She felt a hand on her shoulder and someone stuffed a cloth of some sort under her nose.

"Come on Yuugi." Said Ryuji. "Let's get you to-"

The man didn't get to finish. He was shoved away by another person who bent over quickly in front of her. Gentle, firm hands took hold of the cloth, situating it carefully on her face.

"How do you keep finding yourself in the middle of fights?" said a concerned voice. The words were light, obviously meant to sooth her, but she could tell Yami was angry.

"Blame the morons I call friends." choked out Yuugi, her voice distorted from the blood. She tried hard not to concentrate on how close his face was to hers. Especially the part where blood was coming from her nose. Yes, this was definitely the attractive face she wanted to use to win Yami back.

Yami was not amused. He turned to the other two who were still glaring at one another.

"What happened here?" he said, the anger coming out now in his voice.

"The pipsqueak got too close." Said Marik, seemingly unconcerned.

Yami's face darkened. He placed an arm on Yuugi's back, one hand still pressed gently against the handkerchief on her face.

"I'll talk to you after I see to her." Said Yami. He began leading Yuugi away, whose stomach was doing back flips at the proximity. It felt way too good to be this close to him.

"She's my _date_ Yami." She heard Ryuji say, following after them. "I'll take care of her."

"And she's my _friend_." Said Yami, just as harshly. Yuugi tried to ignore the stab she felt at the word friend. "You two obviously can't be trusted to control your temper."

She heard a snort that had come from Marik. Were they all following?

"I'm not the one that lashed out first."

"Like hell you weren't. You insulted my sister."

The insults and bantering didn't stop as they walked to where Yami was leading her, which turned out to be the men's bathroom. They all entered, their voices ringing in the enclosed space. Yami led her to a sink where he removed the cloth. She quickly placed her hands under the water, washing off what she could of the blood before taking a napkin Yami handed her, placing it against her still bleeding nose.

This wasn't the first time Yami had helped her clean up after being bullied before. She'd gone through more than one bloody nose, but this time she couldn't help feeling self-conscious. It didn't help that all she could do was stand there and hope the bleeding would stop soon since those two were _still_ arguing. It was starting to make her head hurt.

"Guys." Said Yami finally. "You two really need to stop."

"Don't go acting like you care now Yami." Snapped Ryuji, turning his rage to him. "You were the one with the hands off attitude the whole time your family tried to sue mine for slander. Do you have any idea what we went through?"

"Nothing that you didn't deserve I imagine." Said Marik with a sneer. "After all the crap that you said, it's a wonder that the Sennen's didn't win. You should be kissing Yami's feet that he didn't say anything against you."

"Oh, you're right." Said Ryuji, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Thank you so much for knocking up my sister and tearing apart our family then not admitting to it."

"Ryuji." Said Yami, regret in his eyes. "You have to know, what happened was never my intention-"

"So now you talk?" said Ryuji, who was long gone at this point. He had run a hand through his hair, several strands sticking up and reflecting his haggard state. His green eyes turned to Yami, frustration and grief coloring them. "Marik talks about betrayal and backstabbing, yet you're the one that betrayed me first. You hurt my sister, her honor and then my family, all without dirtying your own hands. I don't know what's worse Yami! What you did, Or the fact that you don't even seem to care!"

The words bounced against the tiles, leaving with it a ringing silence. Marik seemed to has finally realized it was time to shut up as he didn't say anything. Ryuji continued to glare at Yami, breathing hard as if he had run a mile. Yuugi's own heart hurt, listening to Ryuji's agony.

Then there was Yami.

He removed himself from Yuugi, grabbing a napkin from the wall and pulling out a pen. He wrote something on it, then handed the napkin to Ryuji, expression unreadable.

"Here." Said Yami. "I think I've held this secret long enough."

Confusion flashed in Ryuji's eyes as he took the paper, staring at Yami.

"What is this?" he said.

"It's the address to where your sister is living."

Ryuji stiffened in shock, pulling the napkin close to him as if it was precious.

"You knew?" he said. "This whole time you knew where she was?"

"Yes." Said Yami. "I helped hide her."

Ryuji punched Yami, hard in the face.

"Yami!" cried Yuugi, as her friend fell to the ground.

"Screw you!" said Ryuji. He spat at Yami's feet, then stormed out of the bathroom, the door swinging shut behind him.

* * *

 **Thank you my lovelies! Yaminisu, Madolche Anjelly, Guest, ForeverWildfire2.0, AnimaniAshley, Ceasa, Hiei Dragon Girl, catgirl505, V. Copperhex, SkyNakama27, and kaitenzero. You guys are the best!**

 **Yaminisu: It would be cool to see everything from Yami's perspective at this point, but it would also give away all the answers that are still burning inside of you, thus getting rid of the tension and making you less inclined to keep following the story. The answers will come, just not all at once necessarily. (Oh the things we writers do. Anyone else want to chuck things at rooster teeth for the season finale of RWBY? The feels!)**


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Yuugi knelt down beside Yami, making sure he was alright. Yet another bruise was going to form. The cut from last week's fight with Bakura was still healing.

"Are you alright?" asked Yuugi.

Yami rubbed the side of his face, wincing.

"I'll be fine."

Marik came over as well, helping Yami to his feet.

"What an ungrateful prick." growled Marik. "Why didn't you dodge? His punch was weak."

"Because I probably deserved it." Said Yami. "He's been under a lot of stress wondering where his sister is."

Marik grunted in response, glaring at the two of them before folding his arms and looking away. If Yuugi didn't know him better, she would have thought he was pouting.

"Seriously Yami, what is your deal? Said Marik. "Why do you let people like him walk all over you? He storms in here, insults you, tries to steal your girl." He shot a glare at Yuugi. "And then you go and give him what he wants. It makes no sense!"

"Because Marik." Said Yami. "I possess human traits called empathy and patience, something you could learn."

"Doesn't mean you should let people like Yuugi and Ryuji take advantage of your kindness."

Yuugi cocked her head.

"What do you mean?" said Yuugi. When had she taken advantage of Yami's kindness? Well, besides normal requests from friends, but did that mean she was taking advantage of him? Her insides immediately started to churn at the idea.

"You have no idea what Yami has had to deal with because of you do you?" said Marik, grinding his teeth. "Both you and Ryuji have managed to make Yami's life-"

"That is not something you can blame on them." Cut in Yami sharply. 'I've made my choices just as you have. Besides, if you took a second to curb your irritation and listen to what people had to say this wouldn't be such a big issue."

Marik scoffed. "It's not my fault Ryuji doesn't believe you."

"No, but you're just as much at fault for blowing this all up." Said Yami. "I know you Marik, and I know you don't stop to listen when you're upset." His eyes narrowed. "I'm sure what whatever caused this-" he indicated Yuugi with his head. "-could have been avoided had you shut up and listened."

Now Marik was definitely pouting. It might look like he was trying to kill Yami with his glare, but the slight arch of his eyebrows told Yuugi he wasn't truly upset. It appeared that Yami was the only person that could scold and subdue Marik without getting killed.

"Don't worry about my nose." Said Yuugi, trying to be helpful. "It's no big deal. I've had worse."

They both looked at her, Marik's frown depending while the corners of Yami's mouth lifted slightly. He held out his hand to Marik a second later.

"Give it back." He said.

"Give what back?" said Marik.

"My SIM card."

Grumbling, Marik pulled out a small chip and placed it in Yami's hand.

"You took Yami's SIM card?" said Yuugi, eyes wide. Well that explained why Yami hadn't answered her phone calls or texts. Marik really had done something.

"When did you notice?" said Marik.

"Only a few hours ago." Said Yami. "Cleaver, but remember Marik. I can take the crap you pull with Ryuji." Yami's hand clenched around the SIM card, eyes hard on Marik. "But involving Yuugi and getting her hurt are not things I will tolerate. Do you understand?"

Yuugi's heart was beating heavily in her chest. How the heck did he manage to made such embarrassing things sound sweet rather than campy? She was apparently turning into a sap.

Mairk rolled his at Yami's comment eyes. "Yes, oh great and mighty Pharaoh." Said Marik. "I will stop telling you about how your favorite concubine is sleeping with the cavalry."

Yami did not appreciate the joke. "Marik…"

"You didn't see her." Said Marik. "It's obvious your little crush doesn't return the sentiment. Hurry up and cut her off before the infection spreads."

Now that just wasn't fair. She had been patient with Marik's stupidity for a while, but hearing him say this to Yami was not ok.

"Because giving Ryuji a hug suddenly means I'm in love with him" Said Yuugi, irritated. "And stop talking as if I'm not here. Yes, I went on a date with Ryuji. Why? Because my counselor suggested I try going on a date with a guy to help me figure out Yami's confession." She could see Yami looking at her from the corner of her eyes, but she kept her eyes forward, knowing that looking at him would cause her courage to fail. If she saw any hint of disappointment or betray in his face…

"I told Ryuji from the start that it was a test date and he agreed to help me" She continued. "I get that Yami is your friend and you were trying to help him, but this is something between me and him."

Marik blinked at her. "Why didn't you just say that from the start?"

"I just-!" Yuugi let out a cry of frustration, considering tearing her hair out. "You have to be the most irritating person I have ever met. I now see why Yami wants to kill you half of the time."

"Just wait until you meet his mother." Said Marik with a dark smirk. "That doesn't explain why you came as his date tonight."

"I couldn't get a hold of Yami because you stole his SIM card!"

"Oh."

There was a pause where Marik glanced between them.

"Well this is awkward." Said Marik with a grimace. "But hey, look on the bright side, it got Yuugi here finally."

How could someone do such a complete 180 without any sort of regret? Marik didn't look one-ounce apologetic for the mess he had created.

"You're incorrigible." Said Yami.

"Thank you."

"It's not a compliment."

Marik let out a laugh, clapping Yuugi on the head, making her jump at the contact.

"Sorry about that kid." He said. "No hard feelings right?"

"Ask me that when I'm not bleeding out of my nose." Grumbled Yuugi.

"So wait, does that mean you do like his highness?" said Marik, the evil grin growing. Yuugi's face started turning red. Oh dear...

"That's-" started Yuugi.

"None of your business." Cut in Yami. "You've already done enough damage, so get out." He started shoving Marik towards the door, who resisted lightly.

"I've been supporting you this whole time." said Marik "I have a right to know."

"I had no idea you were the type that liked watching." Said Yami dryly.

Marik's face lit up. "Can I?"

"No. Out."

Before Marik could respond, Yami had shoved him out the door, shutting it and locking it with a click. Yami took a deep, steady, breath. Then let it out in one long swoop.

"I swear, that man is bipolar." Muttered Yami, running a hand across his face.

"Long day?" said Yuugi, noticing the tension leaving Yami's shoulders immediately as she leaned against the door. His eyes were distant, evidently thinking about everything that had just transpired.

"You have no idea..." muttered Yami, his expression softening from that hard look he had been wearing since seeing him. "How's the nose?"

"Not bad." Said Yuugi, pulling the stained napkin from her face a little to poke it. It was still sore. "How's the face?"

"Not bad."

She gave an appreciative chuckle. Then it hit her. That she was alone with Yami. The sexy, well dressed handsome Yami Sennen who managed to emulate perfection without trying. In the Men's bathroom. With a bloody nose. And did she mention she was alone with him?

She quickly turned towards the counter, grabbing a clean paper towel and wetting it in the sink to dab at her nose. The bleeding had thankfully stopped. Now all that was left was clean up the mess of dried blood on her face.

She scrubbed her face furiously, trying to clean as fast as possible.

"You're going to scrub your face off." Said Yami, who had come over to stand by her. He reached forward, no doubt with the intention to help. Yuugi shied away, pleading at him with her eyes to not help. Yami raised an eyebrow at her.

"What? I've helped you with worse before."

"It's different now." Said Yuugi, turning away. It was a lot more embarrassing to think of him seeing her face all bloodied up. She had this uncontrollable desire for him to only see her at her best rather than like this.

Yami hummed in his throat, but thankfully didn't protest.

They stayed like that for a few moments, Yuugi cleaning up her face while Yami leaned his back and elbows on the counter. His eyes were fixed on the ground, a slight frown on his face.

Yuugi threw the last towel away, her face now clean. It was a little red from the irritation, but thankfully the makeup around her eyes hadn't been effected. She washed her hands in the sink, drying them before finally speaking up.

"Yami." Said Yuugi, she said slowly. "What is going on? With you and Ryuji and his sister. And what did Marik mean by me taking advantage of your kindness?"

This was not a topic Yami was comfortable with. She could tell by the fact that he didn't move, continuing his examination of the ground. He let out a breath before jumping up on the marble counter to sit on it.

He held out a hand to Yuugi. She took it, and he helped her jump up, her dress ruffling as she situated herself.

"It's a long story." Said Yami, his eyes now on her. "You want the short or long version?"

"I want to one you're comfortable telling me." Said Yuugi. Which she hoped was the long version.

Yami smiled at her, a warm smile that told her he appreciated her response. They were so close now, their faces only a foot apart.

It felt nice, sitting so close to him, shoulders almost touching. The moment felt intimate, special. That feeling she had at the store was back, the one that said how important he was to her. She just hoped he felt it as well.

His hands moved, and she almost thought he meant to reach for her before they changed direction, coming to rest clasped in his lap.

"It started a few years ago." He said. "Right after Ryuji's family started working with Pegasus."

* * *

 **Part two of this conversation is coming up next chapter.**

 **Thanks for your reviews!** **AnimaniAshley, vyeralyn, LobaKarina15, Hiei Dragon Girl, kaitenzero, catgirl505, SkyNakama27, KisaraTheDragonCharm, and ForeverWildfire2.0!**

 **In case you don't know, the SIM card holds your phone number identification. A phone can function without a SIM card but it can't call or receive calls. (Except emergency calls I think…)**


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

"It's not an easy feat to impress Pegasus." Said Yami, "The man is eccentric, sure, but he also has a good sense for what will sell. The fact that he was so enthusiastic about the family's ideas prompted a… variety of responses from people."

"Like?' said Yuugi,

"Like envy." Said Yami with a smirk. "Hatred, resentment, but most people didn't show it. No, on the outside, they flocked to the family, praising them and hoping to grab a slice of the pie. Ryuji and his sister especially faced difficulty adjusting to the two-faced society, young and unused to the situation as they were."

Yuugi raised an eyebrow at the comments of them being young. Ryuji had probably been Yami's current age when he had entered this 'higher social status'. Then again, Yami had lived in it all his life as opposed to Ryuji who hadn't.

"I managed to befriend Ryuji and his sister relatively quickly, alerting them to the nature of the social circle." Said Yami. "Eventually his sister suggested that we pretend to date to get the various scumbags off her back. She's not a very assertive person, which meant she had a hard time saying no and standing up for herself. It also served the dual purpose of helping their family solidify their place here."

"That, and get Vivian off your back." Said Yuugi, ignoring the tightening of her stomach. This had been years ago. Getting jealous about a fake girlfriend was just pathetic.

"There was that too." Said Yami, smiling a little. "It went well for a while, and the family adjusted. But that one night was when it all went downhill."

The smile faded.

"I was picking her up for one of our dates." Said Yami. "When I walked in on her kissing another man."

"But," Said Yuugi slowly. "you weren't really dating, so it wasn't like she was cheating. Kinda."

"No. That wasn't the problem. The problem was who she was kissing. It was a man called Keith. A slime ball that was notorious for tossing women aside, targeting virgins specifically."

Yuugi's eyes went wide, her mind already making assumptions on what had happened. Yami saw the realization and horror.

"That was basically my response." Said Yami. "I told her about his reputation and she promised to stay away. In exchange, she asked that I didn't alert her family to what had happened."

Yami closed his eyes, his clasped hands squeezing together hard.

"I should have told them." Said Yami quietly. "I wanted to believe in her... A month later, she came to me, telling me she three weeks pregnant with Keith's child."

Yuugi could see the pain in Yami's face. She could see that he blamed himself for what happened.

"It's not your fault." Said Yuugi immediately. "She made her choice. You can't be blamed."

"Oh, but I can." Said Yami, turning to face Yuugi on the counter. His voice slowly rose until he was almost shouting. "I knew what he was like, and I knew her disposition. I knew she didn't realize the sort of man she was dealing with." He balled his hands into fists, slamming one into the counter. The self-loathing was burning in his eyes, filling with emotion. "I should have told her family. I should have told Ryuji so he could keep an eye on her. She was barely sixteen years old…"

Yuugi decided this pity trip needed to stop. Now. She reached out, and smacked him over the head. It wasn't a soft blow and Yami nearly fell off the counter.

"Stop that!" she said, getting angry. "If I know you at all Yami, you made it very clear to her the risks she presented by getting close to Keith. Sure, maybe you should have told her family, but it's still not your fault. She made her choice."

Yami gave her a hard look. "But I should have-"

"No!" said Yuugi firmly. "It's not your fault." Her voice left no room for argument.

Yami stared at her for a few seconds, brows draw together. Then he relaxed, the crease slowly dispersing. He brought one hand up, rubbing his forehead.

"I haven't even told Marik that part of the story." Muttered Yami. "I was too ashamed of my decision…Thank you Yuugi."

She wasn't sure what he was thanking her for - it was probably for smacking some sense into him - but she smiled all the same. She swung her legs enthusiastically, feeling a random surge of energy.

It was another moment before Yami removed the hand from his face, the moment of weakness passed. He continued with his story, his voice echoing around the bathroom walls.

"After I found out she was pregnant." Said Yami. "She asked if I could pretend it was mine. Of course I couldn't, but I also didn't say anything when the rumors started going around. I did tell Ryuji it wasn't mine, but he didn't believe me, sure that I was one of the two faced people I had warned him about."

"A… lot of things happened, but the short of it is this. She couldn't take the pressure anymore. From her friends. Family. Even the media got hold of the story. I found her on a particularly bad night, and still feeling responsible, offered to hide her and provide for her needs financially."

"How did you do that?" said Yuugi, confused. "You don't have a job."

"No. But I have rich parents who believe a large monthly allowance is normal."

"Do I even want to know what the actual amount is?"

"Nope."

A wry smile crept up Yuugi's face. It sounded like something Yami would do. Going far and beyond out of his way to help someone he felt responsible over. It had probably been born from a mixture of guilt and sympathy. Poor guy.

"So she left." Said Yuugi, guessing at what had happened "The rumors died down and so did the lawsuit against Ryuji."

Yami nodded, seemingly reaching the end of the story. It answered a lot of questions, but there were still a few things she didn't understand.

"Why does Marik hate Ryuji so much?" said Yuugi. "And why does he say Ryuji betrayed you?"

"Part of that is because of what Marik himself was going through." Said Yami. "I'm not sure if you know this, but Marik was adopted into my family a couple years ago."

"I heard about it." From Ryuji.

"It had only been around half a year since he had lost his family. He was still angry and resentful towards the world. After Ryuji started bad mouthing me and the family, Marik did not take kindly to it."

How was that any different from his current attitude? Her heart did go out to him though. Having lost her parents as well, she knew vaguely the sort of pain he might have been going through at the time.

"That part should have been self-explanatory." Said Yuugi, nodding to herself. The man was a loose cannon. "But the other part?"

There was a clang as someone tried to open the locked door of the bathroom. Yuugi jumped, forgetting where she was. Yami chuckled, hoping off the counter as the person started to bang on the door.

"I think we should take this discussion somewhere else." Said Yami, holding out a hand to her. She took it and he helped her down, which made Yuugi feel especially feminine. Weird.

"Agreed." said Yuugi. The bathroom was not really the best place to have a deep discussion in the first place.

* * *

 **Thank you my friends! AnimaniAshley, Kohannah, Madolche Anjelly, Neko Yasha of the Sky, SkyNakama27, catgirl505, ForeverWildfire2.0, and Hiei Dragon Girl!**

 **Lol Neko Yasha of the Sky. Rather than attributing your faith in Yami to your lack of reading fanficion, I'd like to think it's because you trust me as a writer to not royally tick you guys off by messing with their established characters. And nope, I get happy over small Yami and Yuugi moments as well... kinda sad since I'm the one writing them. =P**

 **Glad you guys liked Marik's reaction. It actually took me a while to figure out how he'd react since his personality is so different than mine.**

 **The drama will go away eventually. XD**


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

The second Yami unlocked the door, it flew open, a man pausing briefly to glance at Yuugi before barging into one of the stalls. The two of them left quickly to allow the poor man some privacy. Not a moment after they had exited the room they heard a cry of surprise.

"What in the…"

A woman was standing a few feet away, mouth open as she stared. Instantly Yuugi recognized her as the date Yami had brought. Long peach dress, halter top with gems decorating her ears, Smokey olive eyes framed by waves of bronze hair. Her gaping did nothing to subtract to her beauty. The surprise quickly turned into furry a polite smile only partially covered up. This was going to be interesting.

"Dearest." She said through clenched teeth. "Please tell me that I just did not see you come out of the men's bathroom with another woman." She indicated Yuugi with a sharp glare.

Yuugi, thankfully, had become immune to most glares due to being in the constant company of much fiercer people. Like Marik, Bakura, and an endless list of bullies. The glare did not faze her, though she _was_ slightly embarrassed about coming out of the men's bathroom.

Yami, who was apparently also unconcerned with the woman's anger, turned to face Yuugi.

"This, Yuugi." He said, gesturing at the woman. "Is a prime example of how rumors get started."

"Well, you have to admit." Said Yuugi, a small smile spreading across her face. "Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. I doubt she'd believe us even if we told her why we were in there."

"Hmm, That's probably true." Said Yami, looking over at the woman. "So Yue, do you want the truth, or do you want to make up your own stories about what we were doing in the locked men's bathroom?"

The woman, Yue, wasn't even trying to hide her anger anymore. She stalked up to Yami and planted herself in front of him, arms folded beneath her breasts.

"I will not tolerate being talked to so disrespectfully." she said Red lips drawn into a fine line. "Your promised to spend the whole night with me and no one else."

"I made no such promise." Said Yami, and Yuugi was a little surprised at the tone. Yami usually didn't talk that harshly to woman. "My family made the arrangement. I made it clear from the start I had no intention of taking this further and planned to ditch at the first opportunity."

Yue's face turned in a condescending smirk, waving a manicured hand at him. "Oh hush darling. You don't have to pretend you're not interested. It's so obvious that we're perfect for each other. You don't have to go and try to make me jealous with another woman."

Wow. If this was what Yami had to deal with all the time it was no wonder he hated coming here.

The possessive side of her was rearing its head, having been fed by her new feelings and jealousy at the woman who had been his date. She let go of Yami's hand, instead wrapping her arms around his bicepts, hugging the arm to her chest. She felt Yami stiffen at her actions.

Yuugi widened her eyes at him, pulling the biggest puppy face she could muster. She did her best to emulate the cutesie pout she had seen many women pull on their boyfriends to get them to do something they wanted. Though the show was more for Yue's sake, she wondered if Yami was effected at all.

"Yami." She pouted, hitching her voice a tad. "I'm sick of all the interruptions. Can't we just go to my place and finish what we started earlier?"

Yami breathed in sharply, eyes glued to hers. His whole body was still stiff, frozen as much like his breath, the only thing that moved was the darkening of his eyes.

"Well I never." Said Yue, huffing at Yuugi. "Such deplorable behavior, Yami you shouldn't associate yourself with…"

Neither of them were listening to her anymore. Yami, whose eyes were still on Yuugi, moved to face her slowly. The arm she was latched onto laced itself around her waist, pulling her towards him. They came close, barely a few inches apart, but her heart escalated at the gesture. Her mind became numb, clouded by the proximity. His eyes were still boring into her, unblinking and focused with the intent attention only he could master.

"Your place you say?" said Yami, eyes now roaming her face. "I think I'd like that."

Dazed, they turned as one and walked down the corridor, no longer aware of Yue. Her indignation followed them as they left her behind.

They had almost reached the outside when Yuugi snapped out of it. She squeaked, quickly letting go of his arm and jumping a foot away, her face the color of crimson.

Then her friend started laughing. He was laughing at her!

"You little minx." He said, whipping mirth from his eyes. "I had no idea you could do that."

"I don't know what you're talking about." She pouted, feeling the last of her dignity leave. She had meant to catch him of guard, not the other way around. He had so easily turned the tide of her flirting, making her lose sense. Some seductress she was.

Yami bust into another fit of laughter at her pout. She couldn't help the reluctant twitching of her lips. Well, at least he was smiling rather than upset at all the crap that had just gone down.

"Sorry Yami, I think I might have just made the rumors worse." Said Yuugi, just realizing it. She had been trying to help. Well no, she had been trying to get the girl to stop flirting.

"Don't worry about it." Said Yami waving her concern away. "I've used that tactic to get girls off me before, but it usually backfires when the girl that acts gets it in her head that I'm interested in her."

Girl that he acted with. Right. But she had been different… right?

That horrible bubble of insecurity came back, which made no sense. Yami had said that he liked her even back when she had been a boy, and he wasn't mad at her for going on a date with Ryuji. Their feelings were mutual. There was no need for her to be apprehensive.

Hah! Yeah Right. Tell that to the swarm of butterflies in her stomach.

"Yuugi."

Yami held out a hand to her. She took it automatically, drawn to him. His expression was soft, relaxed as he began lead her out the double doors into the night air. At the top of the stairs, Yuugi hesitated.

"Where are we going?" she said.

Yami stopped, turning to look at her quizzically. "Home." He said. "To finish our conversation, and get away from this mess… Or did you not mean it?"

"I.." had been thinking of the best way to tick off that girl. "...would like to."

But first she had to explain something to him.

"Then let's go." Said Yami, turning to leave again.

"Were you jealous?"

 _Ugh Yuugi. Not the best way to start this conversation._

Again Yami stopped. The playfulness left, Yami's full attention now on her. They were back in sensitive waters. The only question was if they both were brave enough to tell the truth about their feelings. Yami deliberated for a moment before answering.

"Not at first." Said Yami slowly. "I thought Marik had made it up that you were on a date with Ryuji. How would you meet him in the first place? But then… I saw you sitting at the table with him…"

So he had seen her.

"Me too." Said Yuugi quickly, her face turning red. "When I saw you siting with that woman, Yue."

Yami's eyes went wide, his mouth actually opening a smidge. The surprise sent a surge of fright through Yuugi. Oh man. This was so much scarier than with Anzu. Opening her heart to Yami, letting him see what she felt. It was so different. So frightening, yet she couldn't stop herself. She wanted him to know.

"Iwantedtoseeyouandexplainthings." She said, speeding through her words. She consciously took a deep breath, determine to not hurry through her explanation. It didn't help, her face heating up with every word.

"When-I-was-on-the-date-with-Ryuji-I-was-thinking-about-liking-him-and-then-I-couldn't-so-thought-I-didn't-like-you-and-then-I-saw-something-that-reminded-me-of-you-and-then-I-realized-that-I-was-thinking-about-liking-him-instead-of-guys-and-then-I-realized-that-it-was-never-a-gender-thing-because-I-realy-like-you-and-then-Marik-showed-up-and-it-all-went-to-pieces-from-there-because-I-couldn't-get-a-hold-of-you-and-"

She was cut off as Yami stepped closer to her, the concentration on his face, if possible, becoming even more intense. Their hands, the connection between them was hot, tingling with energy. His other hand reached up, then stopped, hovering by her face, as if he were afraid to touch it.

"Is this..." he said. "Your answer to my confession? That… you like me romantically?"

Of course he had understood her. He was the only one that could when she became a spaz. He was the only one. The only one.

Yuugi's heart swelled, delight and funny fluffy emotions over taking her. Her smile threatened to engulf her face as she nodded.

There was a pause.

She was pulled forward, engulfed in Yami's embrace. He completely surrounded her, arms wound around her shoulders and torso. She returned the hug, burying her face into his shoulder. He was murmuring something in her hair.

 _-don't believe it. Never in a million years…._

Yami's hold on her tightened briefly, and she took a second to imprint this moment into her memory. His warmth, his fresh scent, the cool night air, the sound of his breathing. She took it all in with overwhelming joy.

"Just to be clear, we're exclusive right?" muttered Yuugi.

"Exclusive?" He hummed next to her ear, making her shiver. "That's an interesting way to get around saying you're my girlfriend.

"Just don't treat me like a girl the whole time."

"I've only ever treated you like yourself Yuugi."

Of course. It was one of the things she liked about him.

"And I want to take it slow. I'm still adjusting to my feelings."

"If that is your wish."

Gosh he sounded like Westley. ' _As you wish'_ kind of mush. It totally worked on her.

"Thank you Yuugi." She heard him say. Again his grip on her tightened, as if he was scared she'd fly away. "I promise; I'll do everything I can to make you happy."

Her heart fluttered.

"Me too." Said Yuugi. "I'll do everything I can to make me happy."

A rumble of laughter.

"I think you got that wrong."

"Nonsense. Making you happy makes me happy."

She heard him breathe in.

"That was..." he said

"Cheesy, I know."

Reluctantly, she pulled away. She didn't get far as Yami's arms dropped down to her lower back, holding her in place. His smile greeted her, a sincere expression of open care and joy. Oh man, to see Yami looking at her like that. Like she was precious to him. It made her blush deepen.

His thumb began tracing her jaw line, sliding across her cheeks. Her full attention was on his touch.

Then he pinched her nose.

Yuugi squeaked, taken by surprise.

"Yami!"

He chuckled, amusement dancing in his eyes.

"Let's get out of here before someone finds us and drags us back." Said Yami. He leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers and she found herself staring even more closely into his crimson eyes. "What do you say to a night of epic cards games and movies?"

That sounded like her version of a perfect night.

* * *

 **Thank you ForeverWildfire2.0, shadowfox777, catgirl505, AnimaniAshley, Jemima88, Guest, SkyNakama27, and Hiei Dragon Girl for your reviews!**

 **I was impatient for her to confess, I figured Yuugi would be too. Yay. They're cute.**

 **To tell you the truth Jemima88, I'm not a big fan of Female Yuugi stories either in general. I figured I could get away with it because she used to be a guy. Funny, 'cause one of the next one's I'm going to write will be another fem! Yuugi... blah. I'm a hypocrite. Anyhoo thanks for the compliments on the characters.**

 **Glad I could make your day better shadowfox777! Hope this one also helps. XD**


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42

"I never realized how hard girls have it." muttered Yuugi. "This stuff sucks."

She was in the bathroom of her house, desperately trying to remove her makeup. Anzu had left some eye makeup remover and a face cloth, but she had neglected to tell Yuugi how difficult it was to remove everything. Not only had Yuugi succeeded in making herself look like a raccoon from spreading the liner and mascara everywhere, but the remover had gotten into her eyes, and it burned!

"Forget this." She said, chucking the cloth into the trash bin. She washed her face with water as best as she could, giving it a quick look over. With the makeup mostly gone, she had returned to her usual appearance wearing a navy t-shirt and pajama bottoms for maximum comfort. The only thing left over from the night was her half up-do curls thing.

A knock tapped on the door.

"Yuugi, you doing ok in there? You keep making noises like you're in pain."

Yuugi opened the door to reveal a curious Yami. He had also changed from his formal attire, donning a dark v neck shirt and sweats pulled from his drawer in her room. Wow, that sounded like they had been dating for years. No! He'd had a drawer in her room for years as a friend, not a lover. Silly Yuugi.

"Did you know makeup is even more annoying to take off than put on?" said Yuugi with a sigh. "I'm never doing that again."

"That's too bad" said Yami. "You looked really nice."

Yuugi hesitated. Well if Yami liked it, maybe a few more times couldn't hurt too much.

"I'll think about it." She said, turning to the mirror. She reached up, struggling for a moment to find and remove a bobby pin from her hair. The things were everywhere and her arms weren't that flexible to begin with.

She heard Yami chuckle, and she shot him a glare. He was watching her struggle with amusement, eyes shining in delight.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" she grumbled.

"More than I should." Said Yami, still smiling warmly. That kind expression hadn't disappeared since she'd confessed to him, returning in full every time he looked at her. Even Yuugi, oblivious as she was, couldn't miss the change. Something had been revealed to her that had been previously hidden.

Yami reached forward and took her hand, grabbing a brush from the counter. She let him lead her to the living room where he sat down on the couch, Yuugi still standing.

"Come sit." He said, patting the ground in front of him.

Catching on, Yuugi plopped down in front of his, nestling between his shins. His fingers soon descended into her hair, taking out each bobby pin tangled in the curls. She couldn't help but sigh happily as a few particularly painful ones were removed. She hadn't even realized the pressure they had been putting on her scalp until they was gone.

The last pin was removed, and to her surprise and delight, Yami began messaging her scalp. His hands smoothed out the tension, making her sigh again in content.

"This feels…" Nice.

He chuckled, then removed his hand to replace it with the brush. Yuugi quickly reached up, batting away the brush and returning his hand to her scalp.

"Stop." She said, closing her eyes. "Keep doing what you were doing."

"Demanding much?"

"Hey, if you make me dry your hair every time you shower than I think I can demand a little hair pampering as well."

He hummed in response, and they fell into a comfortable silence. His hands soon began dragging themselves through her hair, wandering through her black curls. She was trying really hard to not purr.

After probably the dozenth time he had run his hands through her hair, she opened her eyes.

"Yami. What else happened with you and Ryuji?"

His hand paused, and Yuugi took the opportunity to turn her head to look at him. He expression had turned inward, and she knew he was thinking. She quickly moved to the couch, pulling her feet up under her. He moved his arm so that it wound behind her on the couch, giving her room to scoot closer.

"There's not much else to tell." Said Yami. "You know most of it. The details aren't really needed."

"Don't you dare do that Yami." Said Yuugi, frowning at him. "Sure you can keep whatever drama happened between you two, I don't have to know that. What I want to know is why Marik seems to think that I'm taking advantage of your kindness."

"Ah, well that's only partially related to Ryuji." Said Yami.

"You're not helping your case."

Yami hesitated, and she could tell this was again uncomfortable waters for him. It didn't matter. She wasn't going to let him sulk through this like he had with his crush on her and the matter with Ryuji's sister.

"When I first met Ryuji." Yami finally started. "I accidentally walked in on him kissing another guy. He freaked when he saw me."

"Why?" said Yuugi.

"Because his family didn't know he was bi." Said Yami. "No one knew, and he thought it could damage the families reputation if they did. Despite me insisting that I wouldn't tell anyone, he didn't believe me. So to show him I was sincere, I told him I was gay."

"I thought you were bi." Said Yuugi with a frown.

"I thought I was only into guys at the time." Said Yami, and the way he was looking at her, she realized he was taking about her. Did Yami's crush on her go back that far?

"It doesn't matter." Said Yami "The point is; Ryuji knew I liked a guy. It was part of the reason he was ok with me fake dating his sister. But when his sister became pregnant and thought it was mine…"

"He assumed you had lied to get to her." Said Yuugi catching on.

"Not only that." Said Yami. "He yelled at me in front of my parents, alerting them to fact that I liked a guy. He told the secret that he had promised to keep hidden, even if he thought it was fake."

"Wait." Said Yuugi, slightly alarmed. "Your parents don't know?" she should have realized, but the thought hadn't crossed her mind at all.

"They do now." Said Yami grimly. "And let's say that they're… unhappy with the knowledge. They insisted that if I wanted to stay at Domino high, then I had to attend every party with a female date, to at least prevent rumors from spreading."

"They forced you to go on dates with those girls?" said Yuugi. She felt a slight weight lift off her heart. So he truly had been forced to go with them. "Also, why would they blackmail you with going to school? Sounds like a strange threat."

Yami glanced at her, hesitating, and then it hit her. Why Marik had said she was taking advantage of his kindness. Would it be to presumptuous so suspect that it had been to stay with her in school? His parents really had the strangest conditions. First he had to have perfect attendance for a year to move out of the house before turning 18. Then he had to date a bunch of girls to stay at school...

"What else." Said Yuugi, jaw clenched. "What other deals have you made with your parents that I don't know about?"

He swallowed, uncertainty in his eyes.

"They uh, also told me that I have to stay in the top two. Or else they would pull me out and hire a tutor."

"The top two…"

Her eyebrows shot to her hair line. That was a steep deal indeed. Domino high was big, with over a five hundred students in each class. Forget the fact that Seto Kaiba, child genius and billionaire attended their grade. Staying in just the top ten percent would be an incredible feat.

"Since when have you been in the top two!" said Yuugi. "I had no idea you had such good grades."

"Well… I always tried to keep my report cards hidden-"

"And why didn't you tell me?" said Yuugi genuinely upset now. She scooted a little distance away from Yami, folding her arms as she glared at the handsome but very in trouble man. "All this time you've been trying to stay in the top two to stay in school. No wonder you study all the time."

"Yuugi. It's not a big deal." Said Yami, trying to console her. It wasn't working.

"How is this not a big deal! How many times did I drag you out from studying to play games? All those hours in the library where I bugged you instead of letting you study properly. Gosh I feel so insensitive."

Yami reached forward, cupping her face into his hands. His firm gaze met hers, doing little to appease her own frustration.

"Yuugi." He said, voice firm, but not unkind. "What do we keep telling each other? You don't own other people's decisions. You can't feel guilty for not realizing something I never told you. And besides, the reason I wanted to stay was to be with you. It would have defeated the purpose had I spent all my time studying instead of hanging out with you."

Dumb smooth talker. He was appealing to her heart on purpose.

"So it was to stay with me." Muttered Yuugi. "I guess you really did like me a lot."

"Don't talk in past tense." Said Yami, the smile returning onto his face. He softly kissed her forehead, pressing his lips against her skin. "I still really like you a lot."

Yuugi's face flushed pink. The spot where he had kissed her felt warm. How could she stay mad at him when he acted like this? She had to look away, too embarrassed to meet his eyes as her mind freaked out from the kiss.

"So what are you going to do now?" said Yuugi, trying to keep her head on straight. "With the dates? I would be lying if I said I was ok with you going with them to parties."

"That will be up to you." Said Yami. "Either I can find ways to skip them until I'm eighteen, or you can come be my date."

Yuugi wrinkled her nose. "Does that mean I have to put on a dress and makeup again?"

"Would it help if I said you looked breathtaking tonight?"

Yes. Yes it would. Stupid man pride, where did you go?

"The ease of which you flatter me is somewhat alarming." Said Yuugi.

Yami just laughed and pulled her into a hug. She couldn't help snuggling into it, her position on the couch too awkward to return it.

"Oh Yuugi, just take the complement." Said Yami. "Or if you want, you can tell me how handsome I looked tonight."

"I'd rather use the word hot." Said Yuugi before she could stop herself.

"Oh really? Was it Orlando Bloom hot, or Daniel Craig hot?"

"You have some of the oddest man crushes."

"How are they odd?"

"One's an elf, the other is a secret agent killer."

"Speaking of which, do we want to watch Lord of the Rings, or the new Bond movie?"

Yuugi laughed, pulling herself out of the hug to smile widely at him. "Let's watch both!"

* * *

 **Yay fluff!**

 **Thank you my kind reviewers! revolutionchief, Hiei Dragon Girl, Guest, catgirl505, ForeverWildfire2.0, vyeralyn, AnimaniAshley, KisaraTheDragonCharm, SkyNakama27, Ashes/Loki, Neko Yasha of the Sky, and V. Copperhex. Glad everyone seemed to enjoy the previous chapter.  
**

 **And it's not over yet! This one isn't one of those, they confess and the story is over types. We've got at least a few more road blocks before Yuugi and Yami can be happy together forever. Hopefully you stick with the story to see how it goes. XD**


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43

Sunday morning was beautiful. Yuugi woke up naturally with the light peeking through her blinds, her body's internal clock telling her it was time to wake up. She yawned, bleary eyed and groggy, but still happy. Though why she was so happy she was trying to figure… out.

Oh.

 _I have a boyfriend_

Never in her life would Yuugi have imagined waking up to that thought in the morning. Her mind was instantly alert, remembering everything that happened the previous night. The teasing, the laughing. It had mostly been like normal. Almost too normal in fact. There had only been a few indications that something had changed. Like that kiss on the forehead.

Yuugi dragged herself out of bed and quickly hopped into the shower. She caught her reflection in the mirror on the way out and noticed the grin plastered across her face.

Yup. That grin summed things up. That, and the extra presence she found still passed out on the couch. Yami had refused to sleep in the same room as her, even if he would have just been on the floor. At least he hadn't refused to sleep over again. She wouldn't have let him get away with that, especially since they had stayed up until the early hours of the morning.

Careful to stay silent, she tip-toed to where he was sleeping, crouching down in front of him with her arms resting on her knees. The blanket only partially covered him, having been misplaced sometime during the night. He was laying on his side, his head facing her as he breathed the slow rhythm of sleep. His usual calm stoic face was completely relaxed, nestled into the crook of one of his arms. It wasn't the first time she had seen him sleeping - they had been having sleep overs for years- but there were definitely new feelings in Yuugi's chest as she observed him.

It felt nice, really nice to see him so peaceful, and she sat there for a few more minute before deciding she wanted breakfast.

She quietly stood up, rearranging the blanket to cover him properly before heading into the kitchen. A look at the clock told her it was almost eleven. It might be a little late for breakfast, but she wanted to make him his French toast.

Yuugi was about to start cooking the first batch when she heard Yami waking up. He walked into the kitchen, hair askew and yawning.

"Good morning." Said Yuugi.

"Morning." Greeted Yami, suppressing another yawn. "How are you awake so early?"

"It's not early Yami, it's almost eleven."

"It is when you stayed up until five slaying zombies."

Yuugi chuckled. After the movie marathon, they had decided to play video games until they could keep their eyes open. They had been so tired that they had started finding it hilarious when they sabotaged the other player by leading a horde to them. Yami had been infinitely better at it than Yuugi, but she had gotten her revenge by imitating the witch crying and freaking Yami out.

"Could I have you set the table?" Said Yuugi. "I'm almost done with breakfast."

As Yami complied, she couldn't help thinking how natural this all was. With a slight cringe she realized they sounded like a married couple. _Go set the table while I make the food so we can eat together_. Yeah, that.

Yami must have heard her thoughts.

"You know," he said. "not to sound creepy or anything, but this feels like something married couples do."

"Except we've been like this for years." Said Yuugi, placing another finished piece of toast on the plate. "So it's more like we're a married _old_ couple."

"I'd be ok with that."

Yuugi couldn't help blushing a bit. Despite all her teasings on the subject, it still made her embarrassed.

A minute later, the food was done, and she set the table with a plate of French toast, scrambled eggs and apple slices. They dug in while Yami continuously commented on her abilities as a housewife. They had just started cleaning the dishes when the doorbell rang.

"I'll go see who it is." Said Yami, dropping the towel and walking away. A second later she heard a familiar voice exclaim in confusion.

"Yami? What are you doing here?"

Yuugi quickly set down a plate, drying her hands on her pants as she dashed to the front door. Ryuji stood in the doorway, his head snapping to her as she crossed the threshold. His eyes widened as he looked first at her, then at Yami. She was instantly reminded of Yami's reputation with Ryuji. It didn't help that they were still dressed in their sleepwear.

Yami hadn't said anything yet, eyeing Ryuji with caution.

"Ryuji? It's good to see you." Said Yuugi, plastering a smile on her face. "Not to be rude but, how did you find out where I lived?"

Ryuji hesitated, glancing at Yami. "I uh, remember you mentioning that your grandpa had a shop. I thought I might find you at it and then saw the house…"

That's right. Yuugi had completely forgotten about telling him about the game shop. So ignoring the giant awkwardness between him and Yami, she beckoned him inside.

"Come on in. Please, we just had some breakfast. We have some left over French toast if you're hungry."

She hoped Yami wouldn't mind sharing.

"He can have the eggs." Said Yami, folding him arms.

Nope. Looks like that lesson never stuck as a kid.

"I'm fine, thanks Yuugi." Said Ryuji.

He finally stepped into the house, albeit hesitant. Yuugi firmly shut the door, pushing him into the living room. She shot Yami a warning look to which he shrugged, his gesture saying: _If he doesn't cause trouble, I won't cause trouble._

Ryuji was ushered into one of the chairs and Yuugi quickly poured him a cup of tea. She waltzed back into the room to find Yami, settling himself on the love seat and Ryuji looking everywhere but at Yami. She set it in front of him, where he muttered a thanks before she sat down next to Yami.

Then silence.

 _Well this is awkward._ Thought Yuugi. After the big mess from yesterday she was surprised he was here. She still considered Ryuji a friend, but she honestly wasn't sure what he thought of her anymore. Why was he here anyway? Did he come here to formally renounce their friendship? Or did he come to-

"Well this is awkward." said Ryuji suddenly, scratching the back of his head with a slight smile. "Look, I just wanted to come over and say sorry to you Yuugi."

Yuugi blinked, sharing a look with Yami.

"You'll have to be more specific what you're apologizing for." Said Yami.

Yuugi quickly elbowed him in the side, whispering to him

 _"_ _You promised to behave."_

 _"_ _I said no such thing."_

 _"_ _No, but it was heavily implied."_

 _"_ _What, you can read minds now?"_

She gave him one last glare before returning her attention back to Ryuji.

"To echo Yami, but in a much nicer way I might add, what exactly are you apologizing for?"

Ryuji, who had been watching them whisper with a frown, gave a sigh.

"I wanted to apologize for my behavior." Said Ryuji. "I brought you as my date and then left you alone at the building. It wasn't right of me to do that. I'm glad that you made it home safely but I should have made arrangements before running off."

"Er. That's fine, Yami gave me a ride home." Said Yuugi,

"Well, based on Yami's presence here, I guessed that much." Said Ryuji with a hesitant chuckle. "Also, I wanted to apologize for saying such bad things to you about him."

That took her by surprise. Yami was studying Ryuji, as if putting pieces of a puzzle together.

"You went to go see her didn't you?" said Yami. "How is she?

It clicked. Ryuji must have driven to where his sister was living the second he got the address from Yami. No wonder she hadn't heard from him the rest of the night.

At Yami's question, Ryuji relaxed, evidently afraid Yami might yell at him to get out of the house. He softened, remembering something as he smiled slightly. "She's doing great. Really great. It's been a long time since I've seen her that happy."

"I'm sure she was glad to see you." Said Yami. "She talks about you often when I visit."

Ryuji let out a snort. "Not that I deserve it, but I'm glad to hear that."

Yuugi couldn't help smiling, recognizing that she was witnessing the mending of their previously shattered friendship. Or at least the start of it.

"I'm being serious." Said Yami. "You probably made her night. She has a big heart but is still very insecure. Half the reason she didn't want me to tell you where she was, was because she thought you hated and blamed her for the problems your family went through."

"She what!?" said Ryuji, getting angry. "There is no way I blame her. It wasn't her fault. My parents just made everything worse and then you-."

Ryuji cut himself off, his anger redirected towards Yuugi's TV screen. He ground his teeth in frustration.

"Then _I_ kicked up a fuss by accusing you and getting your family involved." Said Ryuji. "She should hate me."

"She can't hate you." Said Yami. "You're her brother. And besides, at least you didn't tell her to abort the baby like your parents did."

"But I almost did." Said Ryuji, placing his head in his hands. "Gods, I almost told her to get rid of it. As if that would restore everything back to normal. As if it could erase what had already happened."

Ryuji let out a broken dark laugh. "What a mess. I behaved like an idiot."

"We all did." Said Yami.

The silence fell again, bringing with it a heavy aura. Ryuji might as well have a dark cloud over his head with the gloom he was projecting.

"I'm… sorry Yami." He said "I really shouldn't have lost my head like I did."

Yami let out a large sigh, leaning back in the love seat. "No, you shouldn't have." agreed Yami, there wasn't any malice in his words. Just a simple statement of fact.

Ryuji winced all the same as if Yami had yelled. "I guess I can't expect you to forgive me so easily can I? I did create quite the mess."

"Yes, you did." Said Yami.

"Yami..." said Yuugi, her voice carrying a warning.

"It's ok Yuugi." Said Ryuji, holding up a hand to her. "I made a lot of problems for Yami and damaged his reputation. It's no wonder he would be mad at me."

"Except he's not." Said Yuugi rolling her eyes. "He's just being a punk and teasing you."

"He's doing what?" said Ryuji, looking confused.

"It's what you wanted to hear wasn't it?" said Yami with a shrug. "You didn't listen when I tried console you. If you wanted to go into a self-pity rant who was I to stop you?"

"You-!" said Ryuji. The cloud of self-pity vanished instead replaced with exasperation.

"Decide what it is you want." Said Yami. "Do you want us to sit here and blame you for what happened, or do you want me to forgive you? You can't have both."

Ryuji stared for a moment before smirking. "You have not changed one bit. You're still an arrogant jerk. Stop messing with me like this. I was being serious."

"So was I." said Yami. "I've already forgiven you for the crap that you pulled. It's not like you did any damage I care about. Besides," He smirked, the infuriating one that made you instantly want to smack him across the face. "if I had actually viewed you as a threat to my happiness, I would have erased you without a second thought."

Yami's arm draped over Yuugi, the movement so casual she almost missed it. She was too busy trying to decide if she should be turned on or upset at him for saying something like that. He had obviously been watching too much Fate/Zero. He was emulating Gilgamesh.

Ryuji grinned. "I would have liked to see you try." He said, then his eyes flickered to Yuugi. "Well I'm guessing you two are a thing now aren't you?"

Yuugi blushed and nodded while Yami's smirk grew.

"We are, so please refrain from asking my girlfriend on a third date." Said Yami.

"As long as it's not another cover, I'll keep my nose out of it." Said Ryuji.

"It's not." Said Yami, showing the first real sign of irritation since Ryuji had come. "I'm very serious about my intentions towards Yuugi. "

"I can see that." Said Ryuji, eyeing the arm around her. "You two met at school right?"

"It was long before that." Said Yami. "We met in a park probably ten years ago..."

Yami's voice was overshadowed by a surge of panic that went through Yuugi's mind.

 _Oh crap_ thought Yuugi. At the mention of school, she just remembered about the real world that existed outside their little soap opera. It slammed into her, reminding her of all the homework she had due tomorrow, none of which she had done yet.

"Yuugi what's wrong? Said Yami, the sound of her name cutting into her thoughts. He must have noticed her drifting.

"Uh, Yami. We have a math test tomorrow don't we?" she said, biting her lips. "As well as a vocab test, a current events article and a science worksheet correct?"

Yami raised his eyebrows at her. "You totally forgot didn't you?"

"Can you blame me!? A lot was happening this weekend."

Yami chuckled.

"I'll just get going then." Said Ryuji, getting ready to stand up.

"No, it's fine you don't have to leave." Said Yuugi springing up. She didn't want to interrupt their conversation because of her bad memory. "I'll just work on it while you two talk."

Before they could answer, she had sprinted off upstairs to grab her backpack. It took her a few minutes to find it since she had stuffed it in the closet, an unusual spot for her to usually stick it. She pulled out the needed books and homework before making her way back into the living room. It was empty and she heard Yami biding goodbye at the door.

It was a good try, but it looked like he had still left. She put her books down, pulling out her flashcards with the vocabulary words on it. Yami walked in a second later, sitting beside her.

"Sorry for interrupting your conversation." Said Yuugi. "He didn't have to leave."

"It's fine." Said Yami. "It was probably a good thing anyway. It will take a while before all the bad blood disappears."

"I suppose, but I'm glad everything is working out."

In response Yami smiled at her. He pulled out his own workbook, his free hand playing with her hair while they studied together. The seemingly unconscious gesture made it difficult to concentrate but she managed to finished studying, enjoying the calm that only Yami could make her feel.

* * *

 **Hi, I'm not dead. Just got caught up with life/school**

 **Thank you my lovely reviewers!** **key46812, Madolche Anjelly, Neko Yasha of the Sky Alejandra Rosicky, Mistoka, catgirl505, AnimaniAshley** **,** **SkyNakama27** **,** **Vivid Imaginest** **,** **Werezoroark** **, Guest, and** **Hiei Dragon Girl! I appreciate the time you take to let me know what you think about my writing.  
**

 **My goal is to finish this story before school ends this semester. Woot!**


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44

For about the tenth time Yuugi let out a large yawn, not even bothering to cover her mouth. She was a walking zombie, squinting at the early morning sun and all its glory as she stumbled her way to school.

"Do you want me to carry you the rest of the way?"

Yuugi didn't even have the energy to shoot Yami a glare. She always felt more tired the second day of staying up late than the first. Her eyes kept closing, nodding off mid-step and nearly crashing more than once.

"Seriously Yuugi, you're going straight to the nurses once we get to school to sleep."

"'m fine." Said Yuugi, blinking hard to clear her vision. "I just… couldn't sleep is all."

Compared to the night before where it had been peaceful, for some reason she hadn't been able to sleep this last night. It probably had something to do with her wild imagination regarding everyone's reactions to her dating Yami. They had ranged from disgust, to being ignored to even being driven from school with pitch forks. That last one had definitely been formed in the early hours of the morning.

Yuugi didn't see Yami stop at the street light and collided with him. A hand on her back prevented her from falling over.

"Thanks." She mumbled.

His hand then slipped down her arm to clasp her hand. Her senses awakened for a moment at the contact as he started to lead her by the hand towards school. It was more of a guiding hand, but it was still holding hands all the same. Soon enough her mind clouded over, their hands and where Yami was leading her the only thing she was paying attention to anymore.

"You know." Said Yami suddenly. "If you're uncomfortable with others knowing, it can be a secret that we're dating."

Ok, now that got her awake. She stared at the back of Yami's head, unable to see more than a part of his face since he was leading her.

"Why would you say that?" asked Yuugi. Her mind was still not working.

"You were worried weren't you?" said Yami. "It was the same when you emerged. You had nightmares that kept you up. If you're uncomfortable no one has to know."

He looked back at her, his face full of concern. Then he let go of her hand. It was only then that she noticed they were almost to the school. Soon enough, they'd start running into other students.

Yuugi opened her mouth to respond, but her brain took that moment to stop working. All the clever responses and declarations of her affections just weren't coming to her. So instead she took a few larger steps towards him, leaning her head up against her shoulder and closing her eyes.

"Just shut up and lead the way." She mumbled.

She didn't explain that her nightmares would have all been in vain had they kept it a secret, nor the fact that it would get out in the end even if they tried to hide it since she was so bad at keeping secrets. Not to mention the fact that she didn't enter this relationship with such a halfhearted attitude. She didn't explain any other these, or the numerous other reasons why she wouldn't want to keep it a secret.

Instead, she just leaned in closer into his arm, Yami's hand again clasping with her own as he led them into the school.

* * *

 **Yo! Special thanks to SkyNakama27, devilface1034, catgirl505, AnimaniAshley, BloodyAyame23aka K, Hiei Dragon Girl, and Madolche Anjelly.**

 **I shall do mah best to not get stressed! Thanks friends! (devilface1034: You and me both. I kept getting weird looks for laughing out loud while reading a FF. There are some flipping brilliant authors on here.)**


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45

By the time they arrive inside the school grounds, Yuugi was wide awake. It was more her own stubborn determination that forced her to keep holding Yami's hand, despite her strong desire to rip it out from his grasp. Just like last time, it a took a moment for people to notice something was different before _everyone_ was noticing.

Yuugi's heart was thumping hard in her chest as she saw people whispering behind their hands and pointing at them. Sure, she tried not to care what others thought, but it was hard when her whole identity was still up in the air as of last month.

Yami on the other hand, didn't pay them any mind. Like always he was oblivious to the stares, that or just plain ignored them. He walked them to their lockers without an ounce of worry in his features. How did he manage that?

Yami caught her staring, the passive face dissolving as he smiled at her.

"Don't pay them any mind Yuugi. Half are jealous they didn't snatch you up when they had the chance."

"I wonder about your perception of reality if that's what you think is going through their heads." Said Yuugi.

"I see you're awake now."

"Yes, I've been awake this whole time."

Yami made a ' _Mm hmm'_ in his throat, and Yuugi couldn't help smiling. He always knew how to distract her when she needed it.

A shout made Yuugi turn.

Anzu was waving at them, sporting a huge grin.

"Yuugi! Yami! Good morning guys!"

"Morning." They answered back. Anzu's eyes had zeroed in on their hands and her smile grew.

"I assume Yuugi gave you her answer Yami."

"Sure did." Said Yami.

"Then congratulations you two." Said Anzu, her enthusiasm making Yuugi embarrassed. "Oh you guys are so cute together. I didn't want to say anything Yuugi when you were trying to figure things out but I really wanted it to work out."

"I appreciate it Anzu." Said Yuugi, her happy grin spreading back across her face. Some of the anxiety left, replaced with the happiness she had been feeling since yesterday. "And thanks a ton for your help on Saturday. It was a mess but it all turned out alright."

Anzu's grin became a leer as she leaned in a little. "Well I assumed it did since you didn't call to tell me how it-"

"Yuugi!"

Anzu was cut off as Jounouchi barged into the group. He grabbed Yuug into a head lock, the attack completely unexpected on Yuugi's part. She let go of Yami's hand as she tried to pry off Jounouchi's arm from her neck.

"Congrats on your first boyfriend." Said Jounouchi. "I totally saw you guys all cuddly on the way in. Way to go my little man- er, woman."

"Jou… dying." Said Yuugi, flushing in both embarrassment and lack of proper oxygen.

"We wanted to go say hi but Ryou told us to just stay out of it but I couldn't resist and-"

"Jou, please refrain from killing my girlfriend." Said Yami, prying Jou off of Yuugi.

"Woops, sorry bud." Said Jounouchi as Yuugi blissfully took a proper gulp of air. Yup, definitely awake now. She was finally able to see both Honda and Ryou there as well, both wearing smiles.

"So she said yes?" said Honda, holding up a fist to Yami, who bumped it with his own fist, wearing a large grin "Nice man!"

"Just keep the hanky-panky to a minimum in the classroom." Said Jou.

"Did you just use the word 'hanky-panky?'" Said Yuugi. "What are we ten?"

"Yuugi, don't make fun of Jou just because he's never had a girlfriend." Said Honda. He leaned over to Yuugi, their faces still yards apart but whispering loudly as if telling a secret. "He still thinks he can get a girl pregnant by holding her hand."

"Says the guy that can't even hold a girl's hand!" said Jou.

"Sure I can!"

Honda made as if to grab Yuugi's hand, but in a blur Yuugi was replaced with Anzu. Yuugi was now side by side with Yami again, his hand clasped with hers. Honda now had Anzu's hand instead. He shrieked, apparently too freaked to be holding the hand of a girl that he hadn't known as a guy for most of his life.

The group laughed at Honda's freak out, Yuugi taking a second to look at Yami, who was chuckling along with the group as well.

"Being a little possessive?" she teased, keeping her voice low for just the two of them.

"Does that bother you?" he asked.

"I-" she was caught off guard, expecting him to deny it. The idea that Yami was possessive of her brought to her conscious a whole host of images and emotions. That he wanted her to the point of being selfish or dominating of her time…

She flushed. "As long as it's not the unhealthy kind." Mutter Yuugi.

The grin on Yami's face grew.

"It's definitely the unhealthy kind."

"No! I don't want to date a creepy stalker Edward Cullen."

"Says the girl who watched me sleep yesterday."

Yuugi froze, her eyes widening. She started sputtering, some sort of defense that consisted of _'just checking- making sure he was fine-wasn't staring.'_

Luckily she was saved by the warning bell, telling them it was time to get a move on. She looked away from the still smirking Yami, and turned her attention to the group, only just realizing that Jounouchi currently had Honda in some weird body lock, a look of absolute dread on his face as Anzu walked towards him with wiggling fingers. Ryou stood at the side, being helpful by taking a video with his phone.

She knew there was a reason they were all friends.

* * *

 **Thanks for your reviews! Hiei Dragon Girl, SkyNakama27, catgirl505, AnimaniAshley, Money100, and Madolche Anjelly!**


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46

The days were definitely getting colder. It felt like just yesterday they had been turning up the AC in the store to keep from melting. It was barely fall, yet a cold front had pushed frigid air towards them early. The weather man had said it would pass them. He had also said that money would rain from the sky and Joey would spontaneously combust. Both had yet to happen.

"It's a good thing that we wear jackets for our uniform." Said Yuugi, giving a slight shiver in her seat. Would it have killed the teachers to turn up the heat a bit? Her legs were frozen, despite the pair of leggings she wore.

"Why didn't you bring a coat?" asked Yami, sliding into his seat and reaching forward to take one of her hands and holding it between his two. He pressed softly on them, rubbing back and forth to create friction and heat.

"I believed the weather man." And she had slept over at Ryou's place last night to help him through womanly messes.

"Ah, yes. That was a mistake."

She smiled slightly as he took the other hand, warming that one up as well.

After a few weeks of dating, Yuugi had come to realize a few things about Yami.

First, he loved contact.

Yami seemed to find excuses to hold her hand or give her a hug. It was very different from how he used to be. There had always been a cautious distance between them, any contact brief and strictly friendly. Obviously they had only been friends before so that sort of behavior was appropriate for the situation. Now, Yami had torn away that barrier, going out of his way to be in contact with her. She certainly wasn't complaining. It felt nice.

Second, he liked to spoil her.

It wasn't the showering of expensive gifts she was talking about. It was the affection and attention that had surprised her. They had always been close, helping and caring for one another as friends, but now, he was even more attentive. She honestly wasn't sure if it was related to her being female, or just him being him. More than once she felt like she was taking advantage of him. When she had finally voiced her feelings on the matter to him, he had laughed at her, saying -not her words- _"Yuugi, if anything I feel bad for taking advantage of your kindness."_

Whatever that had meant.

And that was one of the other things she had come to realize about Yami: She would never fully understand him.

During the last few weeks, Yuugi had seen bits and pieces of Yami she had never seen before. It was slightly disconcerting to see him act different than what she was used to, but it was also exciting. Like there was a whole new side to him that only she was now allowed to discover. Perks of being a girlfriend she supposed.

"Can you believe that it's almost winter break?" said Yuugi wistfully.

"Yuugi, It's barely October." Said Yami

"Then we'll only have one more semester before we graduate! Holy cow, we won't come here ever again!"

"I think your senioritis is kicking in a little too early."

"Have you chosen which college you're going to yet?"

"Not sure yet." Said Yami, his hands no longer moving back and forth against her own. Instead one of his thumbs was drawing small circles on the back of her hand as he thought. "It all depends on a lot of things."

"Like what?"

Yami shook his head, grabbing a notebook as the bell rang. Yuugi noticed that he avoided answering, but she let it go. If he didn't want to talk about it, she'd just have to corner him later and yank the answer out of him. It was only the polite thing to do. At lunch however, her plans were thwarted by Honda.

"Yuugi, have you seen Jou?" he asked.

"I haven't." said Yuugi, who had just sat down to eat her lunch. Everyone else was either in line for the cafeteria food or running other errands. Honda gave a large sigh.

"He needs to copy his part of the work from our assignment, but I have to go talk to one of the teachers. Could you find him and give it to him for me?" said Honda.

"Sure." Said Yuugi, taking the paper.

Honda gave his thanks and quickly walked back towards the hall. Yuugi craned her head in the lunch hall, trying to spot the familiar shaggy mess of blonde. A useless effort since she would have probably spotted him immediately due to his height and tendency to stand out.

"Who are you looking for?" asked Yami as he sat down by her.

"Jou." Said Yuugi. "Do you know where he went?"

"I think I saw him walk outside." Said Yami, poking his stray through the milk carton and taking a drink from it.

"K, I'll be right back." Said Yuugi, standing up. "And don't think you're not getting a talking to when I get back."

"Why? What did I do this time?"

"Don't act innocent. You know what you did."

"Here, take my jacket if you're going outside."

"Yami, I'm trying to scold you, don't ruin it by acting like a mother."

Yuugi was smiling as Yami tossed the jacket to her. She pulled it on, noticing that it was a little too big for her, slightly dwarfing her already small appearance. She hurried through the halls, peaking out of the many exits to see if she could find Jou.

Eventually she found him out back, standing next to a tree yelling into a cell phone. And cussing. There was a lot of colorful language flying around.

Yuugi stayed by the door, watching as Jounouchi finally hung up, literally yanking at his hair in rage.

"Stupid no good bas-"

"Who where you talking to?" asked Yuugi.

Jounouchi jumped, having been too engrossed in his rage to notice Yuugi. The blonde finally saw Yuugi, his frustration coming back.

"That complete jerk!" said Jou with so much gusto it made Yuugi jump. "Gosh! Is it really so hard for him to act like a human being an' be civil? Just because the rest of us an't billionaire geniuses doesn't mean he can look down on us normal folk. He thinks he's so much better than us just because he's got money and smart and looks and everything! It's too much."

"Jou… what happened?" said Yuugi, but she didn't get through to him. He went on in the same vein for the next five minutes, insulting Kaiba in every way possible, from ' _his stupid briefcase'_ to _'his stupid hair.'_

By the end of it, Jounouchi was breathing hard, his phone threatening to break under his tight grip. It had been halfway through the speech that Yuugi caught on to something, especially when the insults had began to sound more like complements.

This was probably what Yami had been talking about. Ever since she gotten her own boyfriend she had become more aware of people when they acted different around certain others, and Jou was definitely acting different for Kaiba. She just wasn't one hundred percent positive about her observation.

What she did know was that Jounouchi needed someone to rant to. They were both definitely skipping lunch today.

"What happened exactly?" said Yuugi calmly.

Jou glared at the ground they were standing by, grinding the mulch into the ground with the heel of his shoe.

"He's just being a prick, like usual." Said Jou. "Yah know that bet me and Kaiba did a while ago?"

"Yes." Kaiba had taunted Jou, telling him he couldn't make a C on a math test if he tried. After that, Kaiba had taunted him again, raising the bet up to a B. That had been the end of the bet as far as she knew.

"Well, last time we ramped up the bet again." Said Jou, "This time to an A. We got out tests today and guess what? I got a 92!"

"That's awesome Jou!" said Yuugi. Seeing the excitement on Jou's face. It left a second later as his thoughts turned more sour.

"See, that's what real friends do, get excited when they accomplish something."

Now it sounded like he was pouting.

"So you called Kaiba to tell him you got an A?" said Yuugi. She was surprised the man had even answered. Kaiba was most likely in a meeting or working. In both cases, he loathed being disturbed and usually didn't bother answering the phone unless you pestered him with calls. Most people weren't that brave.

"Biggest mistake of my life." Said Jou, folding him arms and sitting down on the ground with a _'humph'_

"When I told him, he just got all angry, saying stuff like _'if yah could have done that well from the start you're dumber then I thought.'_ Like he was angry that I actually got an A! I told him to stop lookin' down on me just 'cause I'm poor. Then the jerk said he never looked down on me cause of my situation an dat if I felt dat way it was my own perception."

Jounouchi started grinding his teeth in frustration, lowering his voice into a mock imitation of Kaiba. "Then he said ' _what I can't stand is when people waste their potential then whine to others who are more successful because they put efforts into their accomplishments.'_ What the hell! Does he have no idea how hard I worked for dat A! And then all he can do is insult me when I do well."

The blonde then went into an angry rant at a low mumble, the words _'jerk'_ and _'moneybags'_ occasionally audible.

Yuugi took a few steps forward, settling herself down next to Jou on the grass. She was grateful for the jacket from Yami and pulled in her legs, zipping the jacket up around them to make her own cocoon of warmth.

"Does Kaiba know that you work?" said Yuugi.

Jounouchi whipped his head to Yuugi, the anger fleeing to be replaced with surprise.

"How did you know dat I work?" said Jou "I never told no one."

"Your sister." Said Yuugi simply "She was worried that you were pushing yourself too hard."

"Oh."

"You know what I think?" said Yuugi. "I think Kaiba made that bet for your sake."

Jou stared at her, unblinking for a full five seconds before he cleaned out his ears with exaggerated motions.

"Uh, come again? Did you just say what I think you said?" said Jou

Yuugi smiled, tilting her cocooned body until she was leaning up against Jou, stealing some of his abundant warmth. Seriously the man was like a walking furnace.

"Did you know that you're smart Jou?" said Yuugi.

Jou snorted. "Yah, talk to any of the teachers an' they'll say otherwise."

"Forget what the teachers say. I think you're smart." Said Yuugi. "For crying out loud, I studied with Yami for that test and barely got a B. You're smart Jou, and a hard worker, but you don't care about academics. You care more about people and connections and friendship then you do about grades. If it's a choice between studying or helping a friend out, you'll choose that friend every time."

"Oh course." Said Jou. "Those that can't take of their own are trash."

"And that is part of what makes you, you." Said Yuugi, minus the point in his life where he had bullied Yuugi. That was a long time ago and Jou had changed a lot since then. "You care about your friends more than you care about something silly like grades. Some people call it lazy, or call you dumb, but what they don't see is the effort and work you put behind your friends and family. I think Kaiba both admires and resents that in you, but he also wants you to succeed. So when he saw you capable of excelling at both, he got angry."

"Dat makes no sense Yuugi. Why would he get angry?" said Jou.

"That's something you'll have to ask him yourself." Said Yuugi, suppressing a shiver. "And not that I don't like talking to you, but can we go inside? My legs are going to fall off."

"Oh, sure." Said Jou, standing up so suddenly Yuugi fell over, unable to shoot her arms or legs out to catch her fall. Her friend took a full three minutes to stop laughing at her before he decided to help her unzip the jacket and stand up.

* * *

 **Special thanks to my awesome reviewers! Hiei Dragon Girl, catgirl505, Money100, Madolche Anjelly, SkyNakama27, and Guest.**

 **Money100, defiantly a good idea, but an idea for way much later! Not sure if this story will go that far.**


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47

The talk with Jounouchi had made Yuugi worried. She wanted her friend to be happy, but at the same time she could help but wonder at Jou's choice in a crush. Sure, she liked Kaiba as a friend. Despite his constant assurance that they _weren't_ friends, his actions showed otherwise. With Kaiba, you had to look at his actions, not his words to determine if he truly cared. The only person he admitted freely to caring about was his brother Mokuba. Even Yami, his cousin, it was more a begrudged tolerance than an open admission of caring about him.

Yes, Kaiba was a friend. A good friend that you could count on to get you out of tight places along with a helping of grumbling. It was endearing in its own way. But she had also seen the way Kaiba and Jounouchi fought. She couldn't help but foresee a lot of problems for them in the future if they went down that path. That was assuming Kaiba felt the same way Jou did, which was unlikely. Did Jou even know his own feelings?

Well, whatever happened, she would be there to support Jou when he needed it, which was why she suggested they all go to the park after school today. It was still cold, but the guy probably needed a distraction.

The gang jumped on the idea immediately, unaware of Yuugi secret motive. Well, all except Mr. perceptive.

"Yuugi, was there a reason why you wanted to hang out outside today?" asked Yami as they walked back from her house. The park they were playing at wasn't far, so she and Yami decided to stop there first to grab a Frisbee and her coat, which she was happily wearing after changing out of her uniform and into warmer pants. Yami held the Frisbee tucked under his arm.

"I was worried about Jou." Said Yuugi. "Apparently he had a big fight with Kaiba over the bet they had."

"Ah,"

They walked in silence for another few minutes before Yuugi spoke again.

"You know Yami, you hinted at me not noticing something before. Something about the relationship between Jou and Kaiba. Did you mean what I thought you meant by that?"

"Yuugi, despite what some people think, I can't read your mind. You're going to have to be more specific about what you mean."

"Well, it's just that, when I was listening to Jou complain I got thinking..." and now Yuugi felt uncomfortable, unsure of her guess. "Uh, that perhaps Jou had something… What I mean is…"

Ugh, this was just uncomfortable.

Thankfully Yami appeared to have understood.

"You thought that Jou might have a crush on Kaiba."

Yuugi nodded.

Yami smiled. "We should tell Jou to be careful. If you're noticing, then it's only a matter of time before the whole school finds out."

Yuugi smacked him in the arm for his sass.

"So I was right? Jou has a crush on Kaiba?"

"And the opposite is true as well." Said Yami. "Though I'm not sure either have realized it yet."

"Really? That's one bizarre couple if it ever works out."

Yami shrugged. "To each their own. We're not exactly the stereotypical couple either."

"I guess."

Once Yuugi thought about it, it was true. Yuugi was a middle class, recently emerged female dating a rich, sexy male. Nothing about their circumstances met in the stereotypical fashion. The rich usually dated the rich and the plain usually dated the plain. That was just how most things went.

Yuugi glanced at Yami's hand with the sudden urge to grab it. It was one of those rare times when she and Yami weren't holding hands. Usually Yami would be the one to grab hers at the first chance. She had yet to be the one to reach out first. She felt her hand twitch, eager, but also hesitant to take his hand. Why was she being so shy about this?

Before she could summon the courage, they had arrived at the park. Along with a swing set, it had a large empty expanse of grass. The field was mostly empty because of the cold, their gang of friends already playing a game of tag.

In Yuugi's distracted state, she was easy prey for Anzu, who came running up to her and smacked her in the head.

"Tag! You're it Yuugi!" cried Anzu, running away quickly.

"That's not fair!" called Yuugi, rubbing her head her friend sprinted away. Yuugi whipped around to face Yami, who was quickly backing up with his hands held up.

"Don't run from me." said Yuugi, taking a step towards him. He took another step back as well, keeping the same distance.

"That's kinda the point Yuugi, to run from the person that's _'it.'_ "

"But I'm your girlfriend." Said Yuugi. She stuck out her bottom lip in a pout.

Yami hesitated.

"Yuugi! Stop cheatin' by seducing your boyfriend!" yelled Jou, circling around to come stand by Yami. He shook Yami firmly on the shoulder. "Yami, snap out of it. Dat creature is not your girlfriend!"

"Perhaps not," said Yami, his eyes narrowing. "but I wouldn't say _no_ to being caught by it."

Yuugi face turned red. She had the distinct impression that she had just turned into the prey and Yami the hunter. Her instincts were telling her to run far away, which she promptly did, squealing when she noticed Yami was chasing her.

"That's not how you play the game!" yelled Honda as they watched Yami close in on Yuugi.

"Oh, but it's a lot more fun this way!" called Yami. He had just caught Yuugi, effortlessly lifting her up in the air by grabbing her around the middle. She squirmed, trying and failing to escape.

The rest of the gang either laughed or shouted at Yami to play the gamer properly.

"Fine." Said Yami, finally setting Yugi down. "I guess I'm it then."

The game of tag continued from there, Yuugi finding herself _it_ two more times. The first time she managed to corner Ryou and tag him. The second time, Yuugi was getting tired, the cold air making her lungs burn. Yami eventually took pity on her and let her tag him, sprinting off after Honda a second later - who had definitely been asking for it in her opinion.

The Frisbee had then been busted out, the guys and Anzu throwing it to each other. Yuugi took the time to rest on the side lines with Yami. Physical exertion had never been on of her strong points. They sat shoulder to shoulder against a tree, catching their breath.

"It's been a long time since we've done something like this." said Yami, his face flushed from the exercise.

"What? Running around outside?" said Yuugi, breathing equally as hard. "Jou usually is the one that makes us all come outside but he's been studying thanks to Kaiba's bet. By the way, do you have time for this?" She was remembering his promise to stay in the top two.

"Don't worry about it Yuugi. I always make do."

Yuugi rolled her eyes, tipping herself to lean against Yami, stealing his warmth much like she had stolen Jounouchi's earlier that day. "You can say that, but I'm still going to worry. Especially since your version of ' _making do'_ includes pulling all-nighters."

Yami didn't answer. Instead, he snaked his hand down to interlace their fingers together. Yuugi's face immediately became hot.

"Don't try to distract me." Muttered Yuugi, trying and failing to glare at Yami. "I refuse to become a distraction to your grades."

The statement prompted an amused chuckle from Yami, who shook his head at her. When he didn't say anything however, Yuugi got annoyed.

"Hey! I have a legitimate concern here." She said. "We have to make sure you stay at the top or else you can say _goodbye_ to highschool and _hello_ boring home tutor."

"I know. I'm thinking about what you said."

"Oh."

Yuugi stopped talking, thinking as well. This whole dating thing was turning out to be great. Really great. But in the few weeks they had been dating, she had already seen her schedule change.

If she had thought they were inseparable before, they were now practically glued to the hip. Not a day went by that they didn't spend at least six hours in each others company, Yami staying over more often than not. Her homework assignments were already starting to suffer, despite the study sessions they often had together. She couldn't help that she would become sidetracked by his presence at random intervals! Who asked him to be so alluring anyway?

From under her bangs, she peered at Yami, silently wondering if he ever got distracted either. She doubted it. When Yami focused on something, he put 110 percent into it. His eyes would narrow slightly, expression becoming firm. Most often he would thump his pencil steadily against frowning lips.

A second later Yuugi noticed she was staring at him. Specifically, at his lips. Her face heated up, ducking her head a second later.

The question had been forming in her mind recently. The question of when they were going to kiss. She knew it was going to happen eventually, they were a couple after all. He had already kissed her on the forehead once, but that had been the first and last occurrence of anything like that. Why hadn't he tried anything after that? Did he even want to kiss her?

Yami placed a hand to her head and she jumped at the sudden contact.

"Yami! What?"

"You were squeezing my hand really hard." Said Yami, concern lacing his voice. "And you're still really red. Did you get sick from running in this cold?"

His eyes had narrowed, crimson boring into her. She couldn't shake the feeling that he knew what she had been thinking. All her insecurities seemed to be out in the open when he stared at her like that. It made her uncomfortable.

"I'm fine." Said Yuugi, her voice coming out sharper than she had meant it. He didn't flinch, but he did raise an eyebrow at her. Yuugi quickly corrected her tone.

"I'm mean… I guess I'm a little tired."

And sure enough, he did see through her.

"What's troubling you Yuugi?" He asked.

"It's…"

 _Waaaay to embarrassing to talk to you about that's for sure._

"-Nothing." She finished with a sigh. "Just thinking about stuff is all."

Thankfully Yami let the subject drop and they were soon pulled into another game with the gang. As they played, Yuugi couldn't help thinking about her and Yami's current relationship. They still had a lot to work through, that was for sure.

* * *

 **Thank you my friends AnimaniAshley, Madolche Anjelly, SkyNakama27, Hiei Dragon Girl, catgirl505 for your reviews!**

 **Yeah the before I graduate thing is probaly not going to happen. Oh wells!**


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter 48

"Have you talked to Kaiba yet?" said Yuugi.

"Nah. I'll talk to him in person when he comes to school." Said Jounouchi. "I'd rather be able to punch 'em in the face if I need tah."

"I thought you were trying to make up with him." Said Ryou. "Not start another fight."

"There's not much difference with these two." Said Yuugi with a grin.

The three of them were walking to the bathroom, the last bell for school having just let them out. Yuugi and Ryou had been giving Jounouchi advise on how to handle his situation with Kaiba. Handling conflict with tact had never been one of Jou's strong points.

"You know the longer you wait, the harder it's going to get to talk about it." Said Ryou. "I suggest you talk to him sooner rather than later. It's been long enough that you've both had time to chill out."

"I don' know if Kaiba understands the concept of ' _chillin' out_ " said Jou, making quote marks in the air with two fingers. "Have you seen his version of casual wear? It's a business suit. A flippin' business suit. What teenager wears dat every day when they get home? The stuck up kind dat's who."

They had reached the bathroom, and Yuugi was about to walk in with them when Jounouchi threw out an arm to stop her.

"Whoh Yuug's. Watch it. This is the men's."

"Woops." Said Yuugi, quickly ducking out. It had been a long time since she had done that. She grinned, motioning at her white haired friend. "Hey Ryou. You heard Jou. This is the men's."

"Yuugi!" said Ryou, her eyes widening.

"Ha." laughed Jou, chuckling behind his hand. "Maybe you _should_ go to the woman's restroom with Yugi. You might feel more comfortable there."

The comment was all the more amusing since Jou didn't know that Ryou had emerged. The crossdresser scowled at them, marching into the bathroom while mouthing off to Jounouchi that she hadn't been the one obsessing over a man for the last five minutes. Their voices died as the door closed.

Yuugi went into the woman's bathroom, silently thanking Jounouchi for his thick head.

She had finished her business and was washing her hands when a group of girls entered the bathroom. She recognized them as fellow seniors, but didn't actually know their names. They usually didn't hang out with anyone like Yuugi; A geeky game freak who wasn't popular except with other quirky people.

Knowing this, Yuugi was very much surprised when the one in the front, a long-legged haughty eyed woman started talking loudly to her friends about Yuugi

"Check it out. It's _her_."

Yuugi paused, her wet hands dripping into the sink. She checked if there was anyone else inside besides Yuugi. There wasn't.

The three women continued talking

"I didn't think Yami's taste was so bad."

"It's such a waste."

Yuugi grimaced, grabbing some paper towels from the container and drying her hands. The gossip had gotten worse since she had started dating Yami. He was usually with her, his presence stemming the mean comments. People didn't dare say anything to his face, but the girl's bathroom was one of the few places where he couldn't be there to stop the stream of insults and bullying.

Intent to ignore the girls, Yuugi threw her bundle of paper towels in the trash, moving to walk out of the bathroom. She was denied exit as two bodies stepped in the way.

"Please move." Said Yuugi.

They didn't move, the third girl coming over to stand next to Yuugi. She placed a manicured hand on Yuugi's shoulder.

"Hold on Yuugi." She said. "I want to talk to you for a second."

"If you wanted to talk, you could have asked." Said Yuugi, shrugging off the hand. "It's easier than turning your friends into human road blocks."

"If you weren't in such a hurry to be away, they wouldn't have had to stop you."

Yeah, there was a reason Yuugi was in a hurry. It was her bully instincts going haywire, telling her to get the heck out of there before she was mauled by the angry she-lion. Yuugi was pretty sure what the topic of this _talk_ was going to be about, and she was also sure it wasn't meant to be pleasant.

Unfortunately, even if the girls in front of Yuugi were stick thin, they were still stronger than her. Getting around them would require fighting dirty, and they hadn't provoked her physically yet. Unless Yuugi was willing to be the one to throw the first punch, there wasn't any way out of this.

"Fine. What do you want? And what's your name?" said Yuugi.

The girl's eyes narrowed.

"My name is Tara." she said it as if it was an insult that Yuugi didn't know her name. "I want to talk to you about Yami."

Of course she did.

"Is it true that the two of you are dating?" asked Tara

"Yes. We are." Said Yuugi.

"I think you should break it off."

"And why would I do that?" said Yuugi, humoring the girl.

"Because you're just going to embarrass yourself if you keep this up." Said Tara with a sigh. "Look, I know the two of you used to be best buds-"

 _Used to be?_

"-And he's probably just confused since you turned into a girl-"

 _More like he jumped on the opportunity it presented._

"-but it's obvious that you two don't suite each other."

"Why? Because he's rich and I'm not?" said Yuugi, already tired of this conversation.

The woman raised an eyebrow.

"For being one of Yami's old friends, I would have thought you understood that. Yes, money is a huge part of it, if not the main part. Your worlds are too different. You won't be happy in the end."

Yes, because the first thing on this girl's mind was Yuugi's happiness.

"Your concern is appreciated." Said Yuugi "But I will determine myself what makes me happy thank you very much."

"Stop being thickheaded!" said the girl, showing irritation. "I'm trying to help. Can't you see what's going to happen? By dating Yami you're entering a world that's far beyond your pettily family business. The Sennen's are respected both locally and internationally. He is the heir to that family business where people are always watching, waiting to see how he handles himself. Do you think his family would let their only son date someone like you seriously?"

"You talk as if this is their decision." Said Yuugi firmly. "The person I am dating is Yami, not his family, nor their company."

"But you can't separate the two." Said Tara. "It's disgraceful for you to be his partner. An _emerged_ female from a middle to low class family with nothing to recommend her. You'd be a joke, Yuugi. Every party, every social event you'd go to, you'd be laughed at, ridiculed, and you'd bring the same shame to Yami. Do you want to do that to him?"

Yuugi couldn't help it. She felt the sting of truth in Tara's words. It was all good and nice for Yuugi to say this was between her and Yami, but she also knew that was a lie. There was more to a relationship than the feelings between two people. Eventually Yuugi would have to face that high society, and if she was being honest, she wasn't sure how she'd react.

In her mind's eye, she saw part of her childhood, back when she'd seen the differences between her and Yami's lifestyle. The first time he'd driven to her house in a limo. The friends that used to come by with Yami, sneering and picking on Yuugi when Yami wasn't looking. The degrading comments. The back talk. The expensive brands and jewelry. It had always made Yuugi feel very small in those situations.

It made her feel small even now.

Tara continued talking, her words cutting Yuugi down further.

"As if that's not enough, you're not even a proper girl."

Tara reached forward, and Yuugi filched out of reflex. Her back hit the counter, Tara towering over Yuugi as she wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"You look like a charity case." Said Tara. "Your hair is limp and wiry, your complexion is splotchy, your shoes look second hand and I don't think you understand the concept of cover up, let alone make up. I'd be embarrassed to be called anyone's girlfriend, let along Yami's with this appearance. "

Yuugi's ears started to burn. She stared at the ground, her hands clenched on her skirt. She wanted to scream at Tara, to say that her words weren't getting to her, but she couldn't. Not without choking, and she refused to show Tara that her words were effective. Because they weren't! They definitely weren't….

"Did you think that the world is so noble that you didn't have to care about what you looked like? That your stunning personality would cover up any flaws in your appearance or upbringing? Well guess again Yuugi. You're naive. People are mean, harsh, and they're going to judge you. They're not going to like what they see. I suggest you stop dating Yami before you embarrass him and yourself even further."

"Are you done?" said Yuugi. She didn't recognize her own voice; a harshness she had never used before entering it. Her heart was stone, closed off from the outside. She raised her head, the shame Tara had instilled in Yuugi transformed into a restless, angry burning that manifested in her stare.

It had no effect. The girl kept going.

"You're not smart," said Tara, counting down on her fingers. "You're not athletic. You're not pretty. The only thing you're good at is making a fool of yourself. You're friends are even worse, like a pack of loud scruffy animals that-"

That was it. Yuugi was done. The girl could insult her all day, but no one, and she meant _no one_ , insulted her friends.

Yuugi pushed away from the counter, knocking Tara out of the way. She stomped over to the other two, shoving them aside while she ignored their irritated cries of _bitch!_ Yuugi was out of the bathroom a second later, storming down the hall with not real destination.

Her heart was pounding, adrenaline pulsing through her veins and making her hands sweat. Her mind was currently shuffling through every curse word she knew, murmuring them under her breath in an effort to stop from screaming.

What sort of effed up person had the audacity to say those things to her? What business did she have making those sorts of accusations and insults?

 _Trying to help my ass. More like trying to steal my boyfriend._

Yuugi's steps slowed, reaching the end of the hall. She took a left, entering a more deserted part of the school where no one was passing. It was out of the way, dimly lit, and fit her mood at the moment.

She took a deep breath, calming herself. Her body was still shaking from the initial rage, now leaving her body feeling drained. Feeling dull.

As much as her pride didn't was to admit it, Tara had a point. By dating Yami, Yuugi was entering a different part of society she had previously kept at arm's length. Not because she didn't care - or because she thought she was better than all that plastic glamor - but because of fear. Because deep down, a huge part of Yuugi was ashamed of herself when she compared her life to Yami's.

Her eyes, which had been focused on the ground, now noticed her blemished legs, spotting each patch where the razor hadn't gotten every hair. There were numerous wrinkles in her skirt, the material stiff and rough to the touch. Her hands were dry and littered with hang nails. She ran them through her hair, wincing at every catch that indicated a tangle.

 _Stop it_ she told herself, shaking her head hard. She clenched and unclenched her fists, trying to keep a hold of her emotions. This was exactly what the girl wanted to do. She wanted to get to Yuugi, to tear her down and make her feel like dirt. Yuugi refused to let it work. She refused to let someone else determine if she was worthy of Yami.

Yuugi spent the next five minutes trying to not think about how worthless she felt compared to everyone else.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading everyone!**

 **And of course, a special thanks for those that take the time to review and tell me what they think about the latest chapters!** **ForeverWildfire2.0, Madolche Anjelly, SkyNakama27, Hiei Dragon Girl, and catgirl505! This story keeps going cause of yall!**


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Yuugi left the confines of the dark area and started making her way through the school. Eventually she ran into Jou and Ryou.

"There yah are." Said Jou. "Wondered where you went bud. Yami's been looking for you."

"Oh." Said Yuugi, ignoring the squirming in her stomach. "Thanks. Do you know where he is?"

"Talking to one of the English teachers." Said Ryou. "I'll see you guys later. I'm going home for today."

"Is Bakura home again?" said Yuugi.

"Yeah." Said Ryou, a smile lighting up her face. "We're actually going to spend the weekend together. I'm really excited."

"That's great Ryou." Said Yuugi, trying to be happy for her friend.

"Just make sure he doesn't steal nothing." Said Jounouchi. "Keep an eye on him."

"I always do." Chuckled Ryou.

They split up into different directions, Jou heading for the gym, Ryou going home and Yuugi looking for Yami. She found him outside of the classroom, but it wasn't the English teacher he was talking to. It was a group of girls.

Immediately something hard panged inside Yuugi's stomach. It brought with it a voice, the accusing voice of self-loathing.

 _Jealous. Petty._

Yuugi shoved the voice down, trying to ignore it. There was no need for her to feel jealous. Just because Yami was talking to them didn't mean that he would be swayed so easily. Just because they were prettier, taller, and looked like a picture didn't mean that Yuugi should feel worse about herself. That was ridiculous.

Yami spotted her a second later, his face lighting up in a smile as he detached himself from the group. Yuugi forced a smile on her own face as he approached.

"Hey, how was art appreciation?" asked Yami.

"It was fine." Shrugged Yuugi. "Nothing exciting happened, unless you count Tatsuki getting his fourth detention of the term."

"I think your art teacher has it out for him."

"That, or he has it out for her."

Yami gave an appreciative chuckle, then the amusement slowly left. He became more serious and Yuugi immediately threw up her guards, her mind on high alert for anything unusual at the moment.

"Listen Yuugi." Said Yami. "I've been thinking about what you said, and you're right. I haven't been spending enough time with school work."

"Oh."

Yuugi blinked, waves of stress leaving her instantly. She wasn't sure what she had been imagining, but her brain had definitely been conjuring up a worse topic.

"I'm actually on the verge of making a B in science." Said Yami, He looked hesitant now, sheepish even. "So I need to take some time catching up. I think it would be best if I didn't come over to your house for a few days."

"Oh." Said Yuugi again, this time some of the weight coming back. She knew, _she knew_ that this was necessary, that he needed to take the time to study away from her. She had been the first one to bring it up after all, but her insecurities were in full form today. She needed his presence, needed validation that she was special to him.

"Is that alright?" said Yami. He must have heard the hesitation in Yuugi's voice.

 _Needy. Clingy._

"Yeah, it's fine." Said Yuugi, plastering a smile on her face. That voice inside her head was relentless. "I was the one that suggested that you stop pulling all-nighters. I'm just glad that you're taking care of this now rather than later."

"Are you sure?" said Yami, looking at her cautiously.

"It's fine." Said Yuugi, full of fake enthusiasm. "It's not like we have to be around each other 24/7. We're dating, not married. Even then I don't think those couples have to keep constant tabs on each other. You've got other things than me in your life."

"If you're sure…" said Yami.

"Now you're just trying to convince yourself aren't you?" said Yuugi, rolling her eyes. "We'll survive Yami. It's not like we won't see each other as school or anything."

"I guess that's true." Said Yami. "I'll walk you home at least."

While she usually looked forward to walking home with Yami, her insides didn't agree with it at the moment. She suddenly dreaded being alone with Yami, afraid that he might see her insecurities and end up staying with her anyway. Then his grades would suffer and it would be her fault.

 _You're troublesome Yuugi. A burden._

"Don't worry, it's fine." Said Yuugi quickly. "I can just have Jou walk home with me or Honda. They're both in the gym playing basketball. I can wait until they're done."

"Yuugi. I want to walk you home."

"Look Yami, do you want to do well in your class or not?" said Yuugi, folding her arms and scowling at him. "Until you feel like you're back in top shape, then you can't walk me to or from school. Got it?"

"Ouch. That's a harsh punishment." Said Yami wincing. "But you're probably right. I should get some extra sleep."

As her boyfriend rubbed the side of his face with a hand, Yuugi suddenly realized something. Yami was acting odd. It was subtle, and she probably wouldn't have noticed it if she wasn't on high alert for any signs he might be tired of her, but it was there. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something just seemed off. Like he was extra tired, or carrying something heavy. She'd been so engrossed in her own pity party that she had almost missed it.

 _Self-centered. Spoiled.  
_

"Are you alright Yami?" said Yuugi, ignoring her own tightening gut. It was a mixture of fear, distress, and guilt at everything.

"Yeah. Why do you ask?"

"Because… I think you're acting strange."

"Perhaps I am." Said Yami, not looking at her any more. He gaze was on ground. "I've been thinking about a lot of things recently. Things I'll have to decide on quickly. I'm not sure what would be the best course of action."

His answer surprised her. It was rare that she saw Yami conflicted over… well anything really. He was always so sure of himself, pushing forward and taking the world head on with no hesitation. What could be causing him to stall? She pushed down her own insecurities, shoving a sock in the voice that opened it's mouth to speak. Instead, she put every effort to concentrate on Yami. Her own feelings of inadequacy could torment her at a different time. Right now, Yami needed her attention.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" asked Yuugi.

Yami shook his head.

"Sorry Yuugi." He said. "It's something I have to figure out myself."

Perhaps if she herself wasn't going through her own set of self-centered problems she might have pressed him, done her best to make him talk to her about it. As it was, she now knew that sometimes there were things you had to figure out yourself first before talking to someone else about them, and in that, she felt a connection to Yami. That they were both human and struggling but in different ways.

"Well, I'm here for you when you're ready to talk." Said Yuugi.

"I know." Said Yami, again smiling at her. Yuugi was glad to see the expression. He took one of her hands, lacing their fingers together and giving it a squeeze. She felt her own heart constrict at the gesture.

"Txt me if you need anything." He said. "And make sure Jou or Honda walk you home."

"You're still such a mother hen Yami. I'll be fine."

"It's in my nature to worry about you."

"I guess that's true."

In a sudden need for comfort fueled by her insecurities, she hugged Yami around the middle. He returned the gesture, cradling her head with a hand. She clung to him, desperate to keep her current tumult of emotions secure.

"Yuugi, are you alright?" said Yami. He must have noticed she was acting odd. She released him, taking a step back.

"I'm doing the same as you." She said, smiling her brightest. "Trying to figure some things out." She didn't want Yami to worry. She didn't want to bring him down. She was doing everything she could to act normal so he wouldn't worry about her.

"I see."

Yami hesitated, then he grimaced, running a hand through Yuugi's hair. She leaned in at the gesture, still smiling, feeling warm in his presence.

"Let me know what I can do to help." He said.

 _Stay with me and tell me that I'm important to you.  
_

"Thanks. I will." Said Yuugi.

With a final smile, Yami nodded to her then walked off, making his way outside of the school. Yuugi watched him walk away, the calm and happiness slowly fading, leaving her feeling sick again.

This could not have come at a worse time. When she was feeling vulnerable and worthless, it would have been helpful to have Yami around. Instead, she'd have to find a different way to get over this self-esteem issue. Hopefully it would be gone by the time she and Yami got to hang out again.

Based on how centered this issue was on Yami, she doubted it. It would probably fade into the back of her head, coming back in full force when she finally found enough courage to go to one of those social events Yami had to go to.

 _Don't let them get you Yuugi._ She told herself. What had Anzu said before the party? Remember what's important? Yeah, that was easier said than done. Especially when you didn't have random groups of girls sneering at you and whispering behind their hands as they walked past you - like that group was doing right now.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **And thank you my lovelies turquoise ninja 012, BloodyAyame23aka K, Madolche Anjelly, devilface1034, catgirl505, SkyNakama27, Hiei Dragon Girl, ForeverWildfire2.0 for taking the time to review! You guys had some great thoughts about the last chapter. It's always the little grain of truth that hurts and opens the way for the lies to take effect. We all react differently to someone like Tara (I've also had several Tara moments in my life). This may be how Yuugi reacted, but how would you react? (I don't know why I insist on having discussions during my story. Meh, it's fun.) We'll have to watch and see how Yuugi gets over her feelings of inadequacy.**

 **Glad I could make your day devilface1034! XD**

 **catgirl505, Tendershipping is more of a side arc than a main one. It will pop up again eventually.**

 **To those requesting more** **Kanojo Ni Naru Hi but from different Yu-Gi-Oh shows, tell you the truth, I've only ever seen like five episodes of GX and 5D's put together. The only thing I know from those two series is what I've picked up in the wiki, the abridged series and fanfiction... Yeah, so the characters would be VERY different if I did that. Also** **there's enough background stuff happening with the current characters that each couple could have their own story in this universe. (Albeit not as long, but still more than enough material is there.) Then** **to be honest, I'm ready to start a different story. I've got like five and I can't tell which one I should start with next.  
**

 **So to answer your requests in short, I'm uber flattered! but it's honestly probably not going to happen due to reasons stated above. XP**


	50. Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Yuugi did not consider herself a clingy person, despite what the self-debilitating voices in her head told her. It was not absolutely necessary for Yami to be with her all the time. It wasn't! She just missed him already, that was all. No need to throw around labels like that.

Alright, so maybe she was a little lonely without him here there in the evenings. Grandpa was gone after all, and the house was much quieter without someone else there to liven things up. It actually was a good time to catch up with her other friends. She took the opportunity to hangout, having been too distracted by her new boyfriend to have much one on one time with any of them.

It was the best she could do to distract herself. She'd see Yami at school, brimming with happiness to see him, but a few more run ins with random girls at school was starting to dampen even that. The bullying she had been enduring since emerging had slowed down to a trickle, only an occasional letter finding its way into to locker. However, as she dated Yami, the bullying increased again.

At first the letters of _"Slut" "Ugly"_ and _"Gold Digger"_ didn't get to her, but at this point she was getting both annoyed and discouraged. The letters were thrown into the garbage with a little more force then usual on her way to walk with Yami to class.

"Those letters starting up again?" he asked her. "Want me to do something about it?"

"Don't worry about it." Said Yuugi. "They'll get over it eventually."

"But they're upsetting you."

"Not really." Yuugi lied, giving her best effort to show that she didn't care. The last thing she wanted to do was bother Yami with her problems.

Because that was becoming the larger part of the issue. It was why the scathing comments and gossip were starting to cut at her core. She was losing confidence in her relationship with Yami. At first, she had been riding the high of being with him all the time and the birth of her new feelings. But now, she'd come back to earth with a painful thump, hitting every possible issue and uncertainty on the way down.

First and foremost, what was Yami troubled by?! That was going to drive Yuugi nuts. She had asked him, casually of course, a few times what he was going through, but he'd avoided the question each time, quite masterfully too she might add. Had she not been friends with him for so long, she wouldn't have recognized he'd been dodging the question. As said best friend and girlfriend, she recognized that no matter what she did, he wasn't going to answer her question.

She was torn between concern for him and the crippling fear that he might be getting sick of her. Tara had opened that wound after all, pointing out to Yuugi her faults as a woman. And when she said faults, she meant in the appearance and manners category. Hey, short hair had been bad enough trying to control, let along this mane of ebony that was determined to drive her crazy!

Maybe she should cut it.

Her self-esteem was shot, bad. Like, really bad. She had even gotten into an argument with a random store employee it was that bad. She might have noticed the makeup aisle and she might had decided to stop by and she might have been browsing the items thinking that Yami might like it if she put a little on.

"I don't even want to wear makeup!" she had finally said, getting annoyed by the equally frustrated employee. He had been trying to restock, Yuugi's short body getting in the way.

"Then why are you even here?" said the man, giving up on getting his job done as he sneered at her. Gold earrings swung on his ears, eyes outlined in black indicating that he knew a thing about makeup, which was why Yuugi had stopped to talk to him in the first place. "You want to be more mature? You want to look prettier than the other girls?"

"That's not it!"

"Then what? What could possibly be so important that you have to stand her and get in my way?"

"It hurts my pride!" said Yuugi, her self-control snapping. After a week of enduring even more snide comments from Tara and her gang, as well as experiencing Yami withdrawals, she was done, and more than willing to take her frustration out on a random bystander.

"I'm sickened to think that I'm going to sink to their level by buying makeup." She said, bawling her hands into fists. "Like I'm proving them right by trying to look better. Hell, I know I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for my boyfriend acting strange. All of sudden he's thinking about things that he can't talk to me about? What if he's regretting dating me?"

Yuugi ran a hand through her hair, unable to stop now that she had started. She didn't care that she was ranting to a complete stranger. He had asked for it, and now she was giving it to him.

"I know it's ridiculous because I know he's not that shallow of a person to care about appearances or income, but I also know guys. Sometimes they can be that dumb. Heck, I'm still that dumb sometimes."

She stared grabbing random containers of eye shadow, flipping through them before tossing them into the basket. Soon a stream of products were flying through the air as Yuugi shoved them into the basket.

"It just pisses me off!" said Yuugi. "Just because I'm not beautiful and I wasn't born into a rich family that somehow makes me less than you? What kind of messed up bull is that? There are much more important things, like kindness, having a roof over your head, family, friends. Those are the things that truly make a difference in someone's life, and yet I'm the one that's somehow less than you just because you've got fake eyelashes and a boob job?"

Her hands calmed, her body relaxing as the fight drained from her. The basket was now full with random containers of lip gloss and foundation, none of which Yuugi understood how to use properly. Her lips twitched in a grimace as she stared at the mess she had made.

"But however silly it seems" continued Yuugi, "I know that's how I'll feel when I stand by them. When I stand by him. Because I'm comparing their strengths to my weaknesses. I don't want to shame my boyfriend by looking homely, but I also don't want to sell out like all the other dolled up sluts."

And that was part of what was getting her down, because she _knew_ she shouldn't let their comments and opinions get to her. She knew that the only person she should ever compare herself to was herself, and she had come a long way in her opinion. Why couldn't everyone else see that?

The man was still staring at her, arms folded and eyebrows quirked in annoyance.

"Feel better after your hissy fit?" he asked.

"Actually, I do." Said Yuugi, and it was true. She had needed a good rant.

"Good."

He grabbed the basket from Yuugi's arms, replacing the makeup products in their proper place. He paused, examining a thin black stick before handing it to her. Yuugi took it. It appeared to be eye liner.

"I've found this is a good starter." He said. "Not too expensive, especially since you'll mess up using it a lot at first. It also doesn't smudge and comes off with makeup remover pretty easily."

Yuugi perked up.

"You're going to help me?" said Yuugi, smiling for what felt like the first time in days.

The man shrugged, as if uncaring. "If I don't, you'll just corner some other victim and continue your whining."

"Thank you so much!" said Yuugi, still smiling. The man looked distinctly uncomfortable, his frown deepening as he turned slightly away from Yuugi, muttering something under his breath.

"Just don't expect makeup to fix all your problems." Said the man. "No matter how good you look, some bitch will always be there to tell you how worthless you are."

"Noted. I'm Yuugi by the way."

She held out a hand. The man stared at it for a second before shaking it, the shadow of a smile ghosting across his face for the first time. Just that small action made a huge difference, lightening up his appearance. Yuugi only now noticed that he was very handsome. His platinum blonde hair reached his shoulder, framing an angular jaw line and light violet eyes.

"Mine's Malik." Said the man. "But my friends just call me Mal."

* * *

 **Hi friends. Sorry for the long delay, but I got huge writers block and then school is being dumb.**

 **Thanks like always to my wonderful reviewers who take the time to review! BloodyAyame23aka K, ForeverWildfire2.0, KisaraTheDragonCharm, Madolche Anjelly, catgirl505, AnimaniAshley, Darkfedex-NekoB0X3S, SkyNakama27, and kaitenzero.**

 **Yes, kaitenzero, that was the book I was describing. I didn't want to name it in case I was spoiling anything for anyone. (I actually didn't finish the series, but that was the reaction my sister had to it after she explained the ending to me)**

 **You guys are sweet! I'm trying my best to make it more realistic in the issues Yuugi would run into. Because all the funny stuff aside, there are a lot of issues that women deal with that men don't, and visa versa. Self-esteem is one of the biggest issues in my opinion! (We'll hear more about it later in the story.)**

 **And never apologize for a long review my friend! Long rambling reviews happen to be one of my favorite snacks. XD To all those that would have been upset if they had run into a Tara, (Not your nice friend AnimaniAshley, 'cause we like her) I completely sympathize with you! Back in the day of high school, I definitely would have cried about what Tara said and cried some more after getting home. Now, I probably would argue back (very angrily too I might add), then talk with my sister about how sad it is that she had to lash out at me to make herself feel better. I have zero tolerance for verbal bullies since they used to affect my self-esteem so much.**


	51. Chapter 51

Chapter 51

"So where's your accent from?" said Yuugi

"Egypt. I grew up there as a kid until my family moved to Japan for work." Said Mal

"Really? That's pretty neat. I've never even left Japan."

The black pencil in Yuugi's hand twitched, causing the line to smudge on her eyelid. She grimaced, grabbing a stained cloth to remove the eyeliner and start over.

"Dang, I just can't seem to get the line straight." Said Yuugi, letting out another groan of frustration as she repeated her mistake. This was impossible.

"Try to get as close to the lash line as possible." Said Mal, looking over Yuugi's shoulder. "Or even on top of it, it doesn't matter."

Yuugi nodded, trying again to place the black liner on properly. Yuugi had waited earlier for Mal to get off work, ready to practice using her new makeup with his assitance. They were now inside a clothing store, allowing themselves to get caught by one of the many saleswomen that threatened to doll you up as you walked past. A few harsh words from Mal had shooed them away, leaving the two to occupy one of the seats and mirrors, using the new makeup they had just bought for Yuugi for practice. Apparently there were all sorts of germs in those store samples of makeup.

"Was it hard?" asked Yuugi. "Moving here after growing up in Egypt?"

"It had its moments." Said Mal, who had taken a bottle of clear nail polish and was currently painting his nails. He blew on his pinky for a moment, admiring his work before adding; "I think the hardest thing was getting used to all the seafood on the coast. That stuff is gross."

"Hey, fish is delicious and nutritious. Has all sorts of Omega threes and stuff in it."

"Yeah, as well as mercury."

"That's more shark than anything. Don't eat a lot of that, especially if you plan on getting pregnant soon."

"Ha ha." laughed Mal dryly. "I'll make sure to tell your boyfriend that."

Yuugi's face turned completely red. She huffed in annoyance, muttering at Mal to shut his mouth. The man just rolled his eyes.

"Like you two haven't done it yet." scoffed Mal. "I know what middle schoolers are doing these days. No wonder you want to start wearing makeup already. You'll probably come bugging me next week about flavored condoms."

"It's not- we haven't-!" her protests dissolved into a garbled mess of words, her face still red. "He hasn't even kissed me yet." muttered Yuugi, feeling even more heat rush to her face. Well, he had kissed her on the forehead, but that did not count. She wanted some mouth action dang it!

Mal raised an eyebrow at her. "And how long have you two been dating again? Are we sure he likes you? He could just be using you."

"Of course he likes me!" said Yuugi. "Or at least, I'm mostly sure he still does. He's not telling me something remember?"

"That's right. Hence your tantrum in the middle of my work shift." Mal shook his head, adding something about women and their constant need for validation under his breath. That one made Yuugi's eyebrows shoot up.

"Excuse me!" said Yuugi, now annoyed herself. "Do you even understand the insecurity someone goes through while in a relationship? Have you ever had a girlfriend before?"

"Nope. Girls are a pain." Said Mal. He seemed proud of the fact. It tickled something in Yuugi's brain, giving her an idea.

"What about a boyfriend?" said Yuugi.

The way Mal twitched, smudging the nail polish on his last finger told Yuugi she had hit the mark. He gave her a withering look, one she returned with a triumphant grin. She had abandoned the makeup at this point, having too much fun talking with Mal to concentrate on eyeshadow technique. She rested her head on a hand, elbow on the counter as she watched Mal.

The man had a sharp tongue, honestly giving his opinion and thoughts with no filter. Yet at the same time, he often buried the other half of his reactions, covering it with a tough front and angry words. It was somewhat amusing after Yuugi realized that his gruff exterior was a defense mechanism. Once again, Yuugi had made friends with someone you had to watch as well as listen to in order to understand them.

It was somewhat amusing that Yuugi could take harsh words from people like Mal or Bakura, yet she couldn't stand a few nasty comments from random chicks that hated her. She found Mal's blunt words refreshing, even admiring his ability to express his thoughts so freely without fear of rejection holding him back.

"You're a pain." grumbled Mal

"Ah, but the best kind. I did promise to compensate you for your time." Said Yuugi.

"I don't want your body."

"I wasn't-! Gah! Pervert. Like I'd sleep with you before sleeping with my boyfriend. Besides, I'm going to give you something even better." She bounced slightly on the chair, excited. "Want to guess what it is? I'll give you a hint. It's something that can't be seen, but it is present between two people."

"This sounds like some cheesy cat poster." said Mal.

"It's friendship!' said Yuugi. "At least, I think that's how it goes. Don't remember exactly." It had been Jou who had told Yuugi that one a long time ago. He'd probably remember the whole thing.

Mal did not appear to be happy with Yuugi's compensation.

"Oh, hell no!" said Mal. "We are not friends, nor are we _ever_ becoming friends."

"Too late Mal." Said Yuugi, laying the back of her hand across her head and giving him a mock swoon. "You've already cemented a place in my heart as my friend. It would kill me to take you out."

"Bah! Do what you want." Said Mal, shaking his blonde haired head at her. "It's useless to try and reason with you." The crease on Mal's forehead deepened, his irritation evident as he averted his eyes again. She could tell he was trying hard not to smile however.

How could she not be friends with him when he had cute reactions like that?! Talk about tsundere.

"So Mal, my friend." Said Yuugi slyly. "Do you have your eyes on anyone right now? Something like this shouldn't stay on the market too long. It's a crime!"

"You sound like a mob boss." said Mal.

He was probably right. She had been hanging a lot with Marik this past week. The man must have been rubbing off on her.

"You didn't answer the question."

"And you've stopped putting on makeup." Said Mal. "I'm going to leave if you're done."

Yuugi snatched a thing of mascara, squinting at the mirror as she attempted to not poke her eye out with the short brush. "So, is there anyone?"

"You're not going to let this go are you?"

In response, Yuugi just smiled innocently at him.

"You're a pest, you know that right?" grumbled Mal. "Fine! No, there isn't anyone."

"Not even someone you're interested in?" said Yuugi.

Mal hesitated. "Well, there is someone that's been bugging me recently."

"Really! What's he like?"

"It's none of your business."

Before Yuugi could respond, her phone went off. She pulled it out of her pocket, checking the ID and seeing that it was Jou.

"Excuse me a second." Said Yuugi, answering it and ignoring Mal's huff of irritation. "Hey Jou, what's up?"

"Yuug'! You've got to help me!" cried Jou. His voice was so loud over the speaker that she pulled the phone away from her ear, wincing at the pain.

"Dude, chill out. What's the problem?" said Yuugi, talking into the speaker while keeping the ear piece away from her.

What came out next was a stream of curses and jumbled explanation about homework and forgetting there was a huge three-page paper due tomorrow. Yuugi couldn't help but chuckle. _This_ was the Jou she knew, not the one that was studying like crazy thanks to Kaiba's bet. Apparently they had talked things out and gotten over their spat a week ago. Thank goodness that was over.

"Alright, just give me a second." Said Yuugi, interrupting the panicked man. She put the phone to speaker, setting it on the counter while she got a piece of paper from her purse. Yes, she had a purse, it wasn't something she liked talking about. It was a man purse!

She fished out a pen, still talking to Jounouchi as she wrote down her number.

"No, she doesn't want a summary Jou, she wants an interpretation of the book. Don't you remember the lecture she gave us last week about that? Yeah, I know it's hard to but that's because you haven't read it." She handed the piece of paper to Mal. "Here Mal. It's my phone number. Txt or call whenever you want. I might need more help from you with-"

"Yugi! Don't give your number to random men." Said Jou's voice over the speaker. "Your boyfriend will kill them."

Mal frowned at the comment, eyeing the phone with contempt.

"He's not a random person." Said Yuugi with patience. "He's my new friend."

"That's something you decided on your own." Said Mal, but Yuugi noticed he did keep the paper. He was still holding it in his hand, examining it with a thoughtful expression.

"Sorry to cut this short Mal." Said Yuugi, taking the phone off speaker and turning down the sound so she couldn't hear Jou's ranting. She smiled at him, grabbing the containers of make-up. "Promise not to forget me?"

"Somehow, I doubt you'd let me."

Yuugi laughed, offering up a fist. Mal stared at it for a second before grimacing, bumping his own fist against hers.

"You're alright Yuugi." he said. "At least when you're not hell bent on driving me crazy."

"Oh, just wait till you meet my other friends." Said Yuugi with a grin. At Mal's horrified expression, Yuugi could only laugh, waving goodbye before Mal could protest at meeting the rest of her friends.

She wore a happy grin as she exited the store, realizing that Jou was still raging to her over the phone about talking to strangers. She suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. They were only strangers because you hadn't taken the time to know them yet.

* * *

 **Thanks catgirl505, Hiei Dragon Girl, Guest 1 and 2, devilface1034, and ForeverWildfire2.0 for your reviews! All shall come to light eventually.** **;)**

 **devilface1034: I did not know that, but it totally fits! (Honestly the nickname was a mixture of me mixing up Malik and Marik, and the love of the nickname Mal after watching Firefly). And you're adorable! Ah, that complement might have just made my day. XD Thank you!**

 **As for the next chapter Guest, they come and go as they please, with no regards for my schedule or anything else. (If you calculate the numbers, I post an average of a 1700-word chapter every 3 days. That's a rounded average of course.)**


	52. Chapter 52

Chapter 52

Yuugi drummed her nails against the bathroom sink, contemplating her neat stack of makeup products. They seemed odd, misplaced, as if they didn't belong in her small bathroom. It was a shrine of femininity that Yuugi had not yet embraced, taunting her with their shiny labels.

Should she put some on? It was the weekend, and she doubted that anyone she knew would see her. It would be good practice at least.

The image of Tara laughing sent a ripple of irritation through her. Her hand broke the barrier, snatching the cover up and placing some under her eyes. Masculinity be damned, she would feel better if she felt confident in her ability to put on makeup, even if she was too scared to wear it on a daily basis.

She had just finished applying some mascara when she heard the door ring. She dropped the tube in the sink, fear flooding through her. Oh, there were only a handful of people that she absolutely did _not_ want to see her with makeup on for no good reason. She prayed that it wasn't one of them.

The gods must not be hearing her prayers. When she opened the door, she was greeted by the one at the top of the list, a huge grin plastered on his face as if he had just won the lottery.

"I'm done!" said Yami, reaching forward and giving Yuugi a hug. He was so enthusiastic that she was thrown off balance, letting out a squeak as he nearly lifted her off the ground.

"I thought I was going to die!" continued Yami "I'm all caught up on studying and homework for at least a week. Never again am I going to let myself get behind. It's not enough to just see you at school."

Yuugi's face had erupted into a violent red. It was moments like this where she wondered why she ever felt insecure about Yami's feelings for her. His face was buried into her neck, his breath tickling her skin.

"I'm glad that's over with." agreed Yuugi, still fighting her blush. She was torn between wanting him to let go so she didn't go into cardiac arrest, and never letting go so he wouldn't see she was wearing makeup. Maybe she could slip away and take it off before he noticed.

Her plan was ruined when Yami suddenly let go of her, holding her at arm's length to beam a radiant smile at her. She froze as his eyes scanned her, drinking in her appearance. Aside from the makeup, she was wearing a pair of red skinny jeans and a white graphic t-shirt with the image of several duel monsters on the front. It was one of the outfits from her days as a guy.

If he noticed anything, his expression didn't show it. Instead he just slid his hand into one of hers, still smiling. She was then able to calm down enough to take in his appearance. He wore a pair of dark jeans, a crisp gray button down shirt visible under the black leather jacket. His crimson eyes were shining with an extra gleam of energy. Man he looked hot.

"Is it alright if I come in?" he teased, obviously having noticed her checking him out.

Yuugi smirked, tugging him inside and shutting the door to the cold air behind him. She couldn't help being a little disappointed that he hadn't noticed her makeup. Talk about not knowing what she wanted.

"I was just about to start making dinner." Said Yuugi, her energy high now that Yami was here. "Want to help?"

"Of course." Said Yami, holding up a plastic bag she only now noticed. Inside she could see a plastic container holding two small pieces of dark chocolate cake "I brought desert. As a little form of celebration."

"Yami! You're so thoughtful." gushed Yuugi, grabbing the cake and hugging it to her chest.

Yami chuckled. "I think you're happier to see the cake than you are to see me."

"Oh hush. Don't be jealous of the cake. Today is its last day in existence."

Amid the laughing and smiles that ensued for the next few hours, Yuugi felt like a piece of her life was sliding back into its proper place. A piece she hadn't realized was missing until it was returned. The emptiness that had been haunting her house was soon gone, swept away by Yami's presence.

Perhaps she still couldn't say that she loved Yami - that was a strong word after all - but she really _really_ liked him. More than anyone else, he made her feel like the world was right.

It was kind of scary how tight a hold of her happiness he was starting to have. Well, too late to do anything about it now. All she had to do was make sure she didn't lose him - Which was easier said than done. Though she was undeniable happy to see him, that little bit of insecurity tucked behind her conscious just wouldn't go away.

She gave a large sigh, wondering how she was going to fix this problem once and for all.

"I've been wondering something." said Yami, interrupting Yuugi's current train of thought. They were in her room, halfway through a game of 'Sorry' where Yami was royally kicking her butt. He was laying on his stomach, propped up with his elbows as he stared at Yuugi.

"What is it?" said Yuugi.

"Why are you wearing makeup today?"

Humiliation colored Yuugi's face. Dang, she had completely forgotten about that.

"I thought you hadn't notice." grumbled Yuugi.

"Of course I noticed." He grinned. "Did you know I was coming and decided to dress up for me?"

"How was I supposed to know you were coming?"

Yami shrugged. "Maybe Marik decided to be meddlesome again. I don't know. Still, what brought on this sudden change?"

Yuugi folded her arms, subconsciously defending herself against the question. "I'll have to learn how to deal with makeup one day." said Yuugi. "Figured today was a good day to practice since I wouldn't be seeing anyone."

"Or so you thought." Said Yami, rolling the dice and contemplating his next move. He opted to pull his last piece out of start, knocking Yuugi's only free blue token home in the process. Yuugi growled at him, promising revenge in her next turn.

A few minutes later after enacting said revenge on two of his pieces, Yuugi realized that Yami was staring at her. It wasn't obvious. He would only watch her when she was busy doing something like moving her pieces on the board.

"What?" said Yuugi, feeling self-conscious. "Why are you staring?"

Yami cocked his head at her, a frown on his face.

"Don't take this the wrong way." Said Yami slowly.

 _Like that was ever a good way to start a conversation._

"You look good in makeup, but I don't think you have to change and use it if you don't want to. I like the way you look normally just as much, if not better without makeup."

Yuugi could only stare.

"You say you'll have to get used to makeup eventually." continued Yami. "But do you really? There's no rule book that says being female means you have to wear makeup. I feel like it should be something you do because you want to, not because you're expected to. Thought I do enjoy the effect it creates." He gave her another smirk. "But I was also under the impression that you weren't interested in it."

"I wasn't..." said Yuugi. "But I realized that it was something that I needed to learn."

"Needed, or wanted?"

"Both." said Yuugi. It was necessary to boost her self-esteem and to not feel like a fool when comparing herself to Yami's glamorous background. A crutch to lean on until she was able to stand without its help.

"I see."

Yami rolled his dice, placing one of his pieces in the safe zone. The topic was dropped after that, for which Yuugi was grateful.

She was still processing what he had said when Yami's phone rang. He pressed the speaker button, laying the phone on the floor as they finished their game.

"What is it Marik?" said Yami.

 _"_ _Be ready in five minutes. We're almost at Yuugi's house."_ Said Marik's dark voice over the phone.

"Excuse me?" said Yami, "What are you talking about?"

He exchanged a questioning look with Yuugi who shrugged. She was as lost as Yami.

 _"_ _You and the chibi."_ Said Marik. _"We're coming to get you- not that way you idiot! Didn't you see the one-way street sign?"_

Another voice responded in the background, dark with an English accent. _"It's a short cut. No one ever takes this route."_

 _"_ _Bakura, please follow the traffic laws."_ said a soft voice, also accented. _"I'd like to make it to Yuugi's house alive, not in pieces."_

 _"_ _Hah! Yeah, listen to your boyfriend."_ said Marik.

 _"_ _Piss off!"_

 _"_ _That's not anyway to talk to-"_

"Marik!" said Yami, quickly getting annoyed with the pair. "What is going on? Why are you, Bakura and Ryou on your way to Yuugi's house?"

 _"_ _We're going to pick you two up."_ Said Marik happily _. "So make sure to look smashing. We wouldn't want your precious Yuugi to get lured away by another handsome man now would we?"_

"For the last time." said Yami. "What is going on?"

Yuugi could hear the smile in Marik's next words.

 _"We're going to go clubbing!"_

* * *

 **Thank you for reviews! SkyNakama27, Madolche Anjelly, ForeverWildfire2.0, Guest, catgirl505, KisaraTheDragonCharm, Hiei Dragon Girl, and XxVampire-AlisaxX.**

 **I'm glad people liked Malik's personality so much. Also, in answer to your question, he will turn up every now and then, kind of like the other characters. This story focuses mostly on Yami and Yuugi, but the other ships come and go occasionally. (I'm writing this as I go.)  
**


	53. Chapter 53

Chapter 53

"I wonder how those two met?" asked Yuugi, talking about Bakura and Marik

"The better question is who thought it was a good idea to introduce those two to each other." Said Yami. He was staring, impatient down the street, tapping his foot against the side walk. The two of them were waiting outside the house for the party to come pick them up.

After hanging up, they had agreed to go, if not to watch over the two maniacs and make sure they didn't get into too much trouble. Yuugi had never been to a club before, usually turning down the invitation, much for the same reason she used to turn down Yami's invitation to go to his dinner parties. It was something new that she wasn't comfortable with.

Since her whole life had recently turned into one uncomfortable situation, she was getting used to trying new things and had decided to go this time. Yami was familiar with the club, so he knew it was a relatively safe one. Yuugi had also called Jou, Honda and Anzu, letting them know which club they were going to. They planned to meet up with them later in the evening.

Yuugi had also decided to change her outfit. Hey, if she was going to go out clubbing for the first time she might as well dress for it. She'd put on her pair of black jeans and tall boots reaching the bottom of her knees. Her waist was accentuated by a black belt circling her blue shirt. She pulled her jacket closer around her, keeping warm against the chill. She had also accessorized with a few bracelets, silently thanking Anzu for loaning out several to Yuugi earlier in the week. She could have worn a nice dress or skirt, but she felt better in a casual outfit.

As she shoved her hands into her pockets, she sent a glance towards her boyfriend. Yami had kept on what he was wearing, not adding anything to his already _'smashing'_ attire. Outside in the faded light, his silhouette was framed by the light from a street lamp. It created a halo effect around him, shrouding his features in shadow. Somehow his eyes were still visible, shining like fire through the darkness.

Yuugi swallowed.

Yami checked his phone, obviously irritated.

"They said five minutes." Said Yami. "It's been fifteen. Knowing Marik, they got distracted by Wendy's."

Which turned out to be the case. They arrived a minute later, bags of fast food and frosties visible in the drink holders. The blonde haired crazy man rolled down the window, grinning as he hollered at them to hurry up and get it.

"You're driving my car!" said Yami.

"Hope you don't mind your highness." Said Marik "Mine wasn't big enough for everyone."

"Actually I do. Move over, I'm driving."

"Awww, but I look so good behind it, don't you agree?"

"Move. Or you will experience pain."

As they continued to argue, Yuugi slipping into back leathers seats to sit beside Ryou, who looked a little uncomfortable but grinned nonetheless at Yuugi. He looked great, sporting a long sleeve blue button down shirt, the collar outlines in a white design.

"You look good Yuugi!" said Ryou, smiling appreciatively at her.

"Thanks, so do you." Said Yuugi. "So what brought this on? Also, since when has Marik known Bakura?

"We ran into him on the street." Said Ryou. "He recognized me and we stopped to say hello. I'm not sure how we ended up agreeing to go to a club. I was paying for groceries when they decided on it. They hit it off immediately."

"Of 'course. This man knows how to appreciate a good knife." Said Bakura as he slid into the back seat beside Ryou. The man was also dressed for the occasion, his wicked aura exacerbated by a dark trench coat, the collar popped. Yami had won the argument in the front, then Marik had proceeded to kick Bakura out of the front so the man could sit with his _'boyfriend.'_

At this Yuugi frowned.

"You told him you guys were dating?" asked Yuugi, not catching the hints.

Marik let out a laugh as Ryou groaned.

"No, he just assumed." Said Ryou.

"I assumed right is what I did." Said Marik, turning in his seat to point at Bakura. "Ha, told you that ass was yours."

"I don't remember denying it." Said Bakura smoothly while Ryou groaned.

"Great, now everyone is going to know." Mumbled Ryou under her breath.

"Well it's not like they'll be weirded out by it." whispered Yuugi to Ryou while the other three bickered. "Look at how everyone took me and Yami. It will be the same with you and Bakura, don't worry about it."

"I guess…" said Ryou, still not looking convinced. While Ryou didn't say it, Yuugi knew what was bugging her. It was the fact that most of the gang didn't trust Bakura. Despite being three years older than them, he had only graduated last year, almost failing out of school because of bad grades and behavior. He had gotten involved in some dangerous gang activity in his early years of high school. Bakura had calmed down a lot after meeting Ryou. Still, some of the gang didn't exactly support Ryou's friendship with Bakura, let alone dating the man.

Oh, and then there was the fact that she had emerged and was still hiding it.

Yuugi grinned, shoving her friend in the side.

"You worry too much!" said Yuugi. "It's supposed to be a fun night out! And look on the bright side, now you can dance dirty with Bakura without having to be sneaky about it."

Twenty minutes later, they pulled up and parked outside the club. It was in the middle of the town, buildings towering above it on either side as they sauntered up to it. The soft thump of the bass could be felt from outside, excitement already palpable in the crowd as they lined outside to be admitted inside.

Marik ignored the line, cutting to the front and waving at the bouncer. Several people in the line craned their heads to look at Marik and the group, some of the grumbling about 'line cutters'. A few seemed to recognize Marik and Yami, calling out their names. Neither answered to any of the calls.

"Hey Jack! Good to see you again." Said Marik to the tall man sorting through the line.

"Marik." Said Jack. "Who are all these people?"

"They're with me." Said Marik, waving at the group. "Oh, and there are a few more coming as well. Mind moving aside?"

Jack's eyes lingered on Bakura for a moment before he moved.

"Much obliged." said Marik.

But as they passed, Jack's eyebrows shot up when he saw Yuugi, and for a second she thought he was going to hold her back. An arm around her shoulder stopped the man from saying anything. Yami continued to escort her as they entered, his eyes locked with Jack's.

"What was that about?" said Yuugi.

"No idea." said Yami.

The music hit her a second later in a solid blast. It was so loud she could feel it in her chest, reverberating down to her toes. The lights were dimmed, creating a dark intimate atmosphere. A large wooden dance floor occupied the center of the room, several people dancing and grinding to the music. A bar resting on the side of the room, tables occupying a second area where people were either eating or playing pool. Towards the back of the room, she could just make out stairs that appeared to go to the second level. The room wasn't packed, as it was still early in the evening, but it wasn't empty either. It was just right for Yuugi.

"Well, what do you think?" asked Yami.

"It certainly gets your heart pumping." Said Yuugi, grinning. "You sure it's fine for us to be here?"

"Of course." Said Yami. "Like I've told you, this place is notorious for underage kids sneaking in." What Yami also failed to mention - which Yuugi only knew because Marik had told her- was that the crowd also tended to be from the same social class as Yami and Marik. Very high class indeed.

"Besides." Continued Yami. "Jack does a good job of screening the dangerous ones. Though why he didn't stop Bakura from coming in is troublesome."

"Bakura's only dangerous if you provoke him." Said Yuugi. "Which could be said for you or Marik."

Bakura let out a snort beside them.

"Dangerous? Yami? He's about as dangerous as a pissed off kitten."

"Careful. They've got claws that hurt like a mother." Said Marik.

"You're the one with the knives Bakura." said Yami, annoyed. "With your fluffy hair, you're more the pissed off kitten than I am."

Marik guffawed, Ruou and Yuugi chuckling while Barkua scowled. Because dang, it was so true. Bakura's hair did tend to stand up, giving him the appearance of a permanently spooked kitten. Albiet, a very scary kitten, but a cat nonetheless.

"Was that supposed to be funny?" said Bakura, his eye twitching in irritation. "Because I'm not laughing at all."

"Oh don't be a sour puss fluffy." Said Marik. "Ryou loves cats!"

"I do?" said Ryou, amused by Marik

"Of course." Said Marik. "He can be your personal pet. Enjoy hours of pleasure as you stroke his-"

Marik was cut off as two pairs of hands smacked him over the head.

"Don't be crass." Growled Yami, him and Yuugi being the two that stopped Marik. They knew him too well to know where that was heading.

"Hair! I was going to said hair!" said Marik, his smirk giving away his lie.

"Sure you were." Said Yami.

"For someone that's supposed to be anti-social, you sure get hyper with people." Said Ryou.

"I'm just a world of contradictions" said Marik. Spreading out his arms and giving a large bow. "Speaking of which, you've turned out to be one yourself. I would never have imagined dear sweet Ryou dating such a horny man. Have you even noticed how many times he's checked out your ass?"

"You're the one that needs to stop your obsession with my ass!" said Ryou, turning red.

"The man can't help it." Said Bakura, grabbing Ryou and pressing her against him. He leered down at her, in a way that made Yuugi hot just looking at them. "He wishes he had this ass for himself after all."

Yami had to break them up a second later, sensing that if he didn't stop them now, the poor guests of this establishment would bear witness to more action than what was considered publicly acceptable.

* * *

 **Thank you my friends! for your reviews! WildBella, Hiei Dragon Girl, XxVampire-AlisaxX, Guest, Madolche Anjelly, catgirl505, SkyNakama27, Mistoka, ForeverWildfire2.0. Lets hope I can live up to your expectations in the next few chapters. :)**


	54. Chapter 54

Chapter 54

Ten minutes later, Yuugi and Yami found themselves at the bar, sipping on soda while Yami told Yuugi about his game against Kaiba using the Exodia card Yuugi had given him. Yami was near the end of the story, speaking loudly over the music.

"At this point, Kaiba is sure he's won." Yami was saying. "He's got me cornered, the swords of revealing lights are about to expire and all I've got are my Exodia cards. Unless I pull the last piece, I'm as good as dead."

"What'd you pull?" asked Yuugi.

Yami smirked, giving Yuugi the thumbs up. "Drew it in my last attempt. Oh gosh, you should have seen Kaiba's face when I played the completed Exodia. Priceless!"

Yuugi smiled appreciatively as Yami glowed in reliving the tale. "I wish I could have been there."

"I wish I'd had a camera. I would have made posters of his face and stuck 'em all over campus."

"Then Marik would have vandalized them all."

Yami nodded, then glanced around Yuugi. "By the way, where did those other three go? I haven't seen them for a while."

"Not sure."

Yuugi glanced around, looking across the dance floor. The room was starting to fill out, even in the last few minutes. It must be prime time. The seats around them were full as well, people ordering drinks as the bartenders checking their hands for black X's. Everyone was excited, chatting and flirting with each other. Yuugi watched as a guy in a black studded vest walked up to a girl in a mini skirt, obviously offering to buy her a drink. Yuugi sent the man a silent thumbs up. It took a lot of guts to go talk to random girls, she knew that.

Her wandering eyes eventually fell on Yami, who was also looking across the crowd. He seemed comfortable here, like he was used to being at a bar in some random club. She still felt a little out of place, only still here because she felt safe with Yami.

Yami noticed her staring a second later. His gave her a smile.

"Want to go dance?" he asked.

Fear shot through Yuugi. "Oh, hell no!" she said, already panicking. "I have no desire to make a fool out of myself on the dance floor thank you very much."

"Don't be so dramatic. You'll be fine."

Yami stood up, completely ignoring her protests. He took hold of one of her hands, pulling her off the stool. She fumbled a little, colliding with his chest to stop from falling on her face. Which promptly went red.

"See, I'm horribly clumsy." She said.

"Hmm, well I don't mind."

Oh gosh, he practically purred it, his arms wrapping around her and pulling her close. She felt every ounce of her will fleeing as warmth and excitement replaced it.

"Well... I guess one dance wouldn't be too hard." muttered Yuugi.

"Good." Said Yami, that insanely infuriating smirk on his face. He finally retreated, allowing Yuugi to breathe again as he pulled her onto the dance floor.

She soon entered a new world of energy and bodies. The current song had high energy, the ground pulsing to the beat as dozens of people jumped and stomped along with it. Only a few inches separated Yuugi from the others as Yami dragged her father into the throng. Finally, he stopped, turning around to face her and dance.

A second later, Yuugi realized an even bigger dilemma.

"How the freak do girls dance?!" she asked, her shrill voice carrying over the music.

Yami laughed, obviously just realizing this as well. He gave a shrug, the hand that he still had pulled her closer so they were almost right against each other. He spoke in her ear, Yuugi only able to make out what he said over the clamor.

"Forget about how you're supposed to dance and just dance."

So Yuugi did just that. Her mind was shutting down, the suffocating energy around her filling her brain with a soft buzz. Then there was Yami, who had barely retreated, eyes still on hers. Yuugi bit her lip, noticing how another girl was dancing from the corner of her eyes. So… lots of hips. Got it.

She moved, doing her best to imitate what others were doing. Eventually she found a rhythm, moving in time with the music, emphasizing particular beats with a flourish. She must have been doing something right, because Yami didn't laugh at her. Instead, he continued to dance, moving closer and closer to her. Gosh it sucked that he was so good at dancing and she felt like a fool.

That thought left a second later when Yami's hands slid down her sides. She shivered in their wake, their journey finally ending to rest on her hips. She hesitated for a second, before bringing her hands up to his shoulders, their bodies starting to move in tandem. Her face was becoming hot. In fact, everything was becoming hot. The haze was getting stronger as delight started to take over. She didn't even feel herself smiling, glowing and almost laughing as the thudding of the music pulsed through her. Yami must have felt it too. She could see it in his eyes, feel it vibrating through him as they felt the high of the music.

Her hands started to wonder, one resting on the back of his neck as the other trailed down his chest. The hand on the back of his neck felt him tremble, and her stomach leapt at the thought she had caused that. His eyes were darkening, face coming closer to hers.

She closed her eyes, anticipating, hungry for what was going to come next.

Nothing happened.

She opened her eyes. Yami had retreated, a hand over his flushed face.

"Sorry. Excuse me for a moment."

He was already retreating before he had finished speaking. His body quickly disappeared through the crowd. Yuugi felt like a bucket of ice had dropped on her, waking her harshly to reality. The dance floor didn't seem as inviting anymore, the suffocating atmosphere now stifling instead of exciting.

 _Idiot_ she scoffed at herself.

* * *

 **Hi again, I'm alive!**

 **Thank you like always to my wonderful reviewers! I would have lost hope in my story if you didn't tell me you are enjoying it! XD Thank you dragonfox123, vcjb242, Mistoka, vcjb242, catgirl505, ForeverWildfire2.0, Madolche Anjelly, KisaraTheDragonCharm, Underwater Dreaming, devilface1034, SkyNakama27, Hiei Dragon Girl, lollileahpop, and Guest! And welcome to all the new reviewers and readers especially! XD I love hearing what you guys have to say, what parts made you laugh and cry and such. Ugh, you guys are so awesome!**

 **devilface1034, my pronouns are all messed up as well. Can't tell you how many times I've written Yuugi as 'he' instead of 'she' and visa versa for Yami.**

 **Underwater Dreaming, I'm flattered that you stayed up all night to read this! (and to other as well). It's been a blast writing!**

 **vcjb242, You're so sweet! High praise especially since there are some particularly wonderful stories on this website. Thank you! XD**


	55. Chapter 55

Chapter 55

Yuugi pushed through the crowd, exiting the dance floor. She aimed for a random empty table, quickly siting down. What had happened? One second they had been enjoying themselves and the next second, Yami had run off.

Her fear whispered to her, insecurities surfacing again to torment her.

Maybe the answer was simple. He wasn't interested in kissing her, or interested anymore in general. It seemed silly, especially since he had seemed so happy to spend time with her today, but what else was she supposed to believe? His signals were so mixed. One second he seemed to be glowing in her presence. The next, he ran off, closing himself to her.

She grimaced. It was time for something to change. She needed to talk to him about this. What was the point in having a boyfriend or even being best friends if they couldn't be honest with each other? It was better than no knowing. Her heart couldn't take much more of this.

The presence of someone approaching brought her out of her thoughts. She looked up, not recognizing the person in front of her. It was a guy, with dark green hair and large muscles. He grinned at Yuugi.

"I haven't seen you here before. This your first time here?" he asked,

"Yeah." Said Yuugi, blinking at him.

"Thought so. I wouldn't forget a pretty face like yours." The man winked at her.

Yuugi stared for a moment, then shook her head. Woman Yuugi, remember? It was possible, however unlikely that she was currently being hit on.

"Thank you." Said Yuugi, smiling politely at him. "But I have a boyfriend."

The comment was supposed to deter him.

"Of course you do." said the man. He sat down in the seat beside Yuugi, leaning closer. "And where is your boyfriend right now?"

"He's in the bathroom." Yuugi lied, feeling uncomfortable. What part of having a boyfriend did this person not understand?

"Well, he can't exactly be upset for his own carelessness, leaving such a lovely thing like you all alone." said the man. "What's your name sugar?"

"None of your business." Said Yuugi, standing up. Her instincts were telling her to leave. She needed to find Yami or Bakura. She tried to walk away, but the guy grabbed her wrist.

"Oh come on girl, don't be like that." He said, standing up as well. "I'm just being friendly. No need to get so riled up."

"Thanks, but not interested." Said Yuugi, shrugging off his arm. She glanced around. Where were those guys?

She spotted someone she knew, sitting only a few tables from her. She walked briskly towards them, plopping down in the seat next to them and scooting closer.

"There you are dear." Said Yuugi loudly enough for the guy to hear. "I wondered where you went."

Yuugi's _"dear"_ sputtered in their drink, staring at her in shock.

"Yuugi? What the-"

"Just play along until he goes away." Yuugi quickly muttered, looking back towards where she had been siting. The man was thankfully gone, having disappeared into the crowd. She gave a relieved sigh, looking back at her savior who was scanning the crowd as well. Then they looked at Yuugi, their face becoming serious.

"You shouldn't be here."

"Oh come on Mal." Said Yuugi, rolling her eyes. "It's not like I'm the only person who's snuck in that's underage. Thank you by the way. That guy was giving me the creeps."

Mal scoffed at her, wearing his signature eyeliner and gold earrings. He was sporting a short tank top, showing off a set of well-toned abs. He looked much better when he wasn't in his work uniform, though she wondered how he wasn't cold.

"That's exactly why you shouldn't be here." said Mal. "It's dangerous for a girl to be here by themselves. Especially a small young one like you with no experience."

"How do you know I don't have any experience?" she said. "And besides, I didn't come here alone. I came with some friends and my boyfriend. They were the ones that got us in."

"Then you need to get some new friends." Said Mal, glaring into his drink. "Who lets a girl like you into a club then abandons them?"

Yuugi laughed, thinking about Marik and Barkua. Yeah, not the best behaved friends that was for sure.

"I was with my boyfriend, dancing." Said Yuugi, nodding towards the dance floor. "But… he just ran off for some reason. I'm not sure why. I wonder if I did something wrong."

"Since when did I become your confidant?" said Mal. "I don't want to hear your sob stories."

"Oh, are your waiting for someone? Did I interrupt your date?"

"No!" Mal half jumped, face becoming flustered. "I'm not here on a date!"

Yuugi held up her hands in defense. "Sheesh, I get it. Sorry. I just-"

Before Yuugi could finish, someone flew out from the side and collided with Mal. It took a second for Yuugi to first register that they were hugging Mal and second later to realize it was Marik.

"Found you!" shouted Marik happily, "You couldn't stand hiding forever and finally came out."

"Get off of me!" said Mal, his face turning bright red as he struggled to push Marik off of him. Yuugi watched dumbly as they fought for a few seconds before Mal managed to get his hand on Marik's face, pushing him completely off.

"Now that wasn't a nice greeting." pouted Marik, sliding into the other seat by Mal. "I thought you'd be happy to see me."

"Who the hell would be happy to see you?" growled Mal, but Marik wasn't paying attention anymore. He had just spotted Yuugi.

"Yuugi? What are you doing here?" he asked, looking between them. Then he smirked at Mal. "Are you interviewing my friends about me Malik? That's cute. If you wanted to know more about me all you had to do was ask."

"I'm not asking people about you!" Mal practically shouted. "I had no idea you and Yuugi were friends." Mal shot Yuugi a quick look, then glared back at Marik. "I bet you were the idiot that let Yuugi in weren't you?"

"Guilty as charged." Said Marik, holding up two fingers in victory. "The little squirt and her boyfriend are such prudes. I thought a night out would do them good."

"That, or you wanted a wingman." Said Yuugi, grinning at the two of them. "Is this the guy you were talking to me about the other day Mal?"

Mal's head snapped towards Yuugi, murder in his eyes. That was a big yes. Marik's own face split into a large grin as he scooted closer to Mal.

"Awww, Malik. You _have_ been talking about me to others. I'm flattered."

"I have not!"

"And why does Yuugi get to call you Mal? I want to as well."

"No! You haven't earned that right!" said Mal, standing up. He walked over to Yuugi, dragging his chair with him and setting it down by her. He then scooted closer to her, using her as a shield against Marik.

The man stayed where he was, leaning back onto the chair's back two legs as he leered at Mal. An evil gleam had entered his face, one Yuugi recognized when he was up to no good.

"I wouldn't sit so close you Yuugi if I were you." he said.

"I'll do whatever the hell I want." said Mal.

"Oh really now?"

A new person had entered the conversation. Yami had returned, arms crossed as he stared coolly at Mal. There wasn't any heat in the glare, but there was a twinge of confusion and anger in it.

The sight of Yami back brought a mixture of emotions in Yuugi. She was very glad to see him, but she was also uncertain what had happened on the dance floor. Thank goodness they weren't alone at the moment.

"You!" said Mal, talking to Yami as he pointed at Marik, still seething. "Keep this idiot away from me. He's your adopted brother. Do something about him."

Marik cackled as Mal pointedly ignored him. Yami looked at Yuugi for a moment before sighing.

"When I told you to man up and do something Marik, I didn't mean stalk him like an idiot." said Yami. "Why must you barrel into everything like a steamroller?"

Yuugi turned in her seat to talk to Mal, ignoring Marik's retort. "So you know Yami as well? And that they're adopted brothers?" Only a few knew that, and they tended to be in that upper society Yami was a part of.

"That's my line." said Mal, brow furrowing in confusion at Yuugi. "Who are you that you know these two idiots?"

"Please don't put me in the same category as Marik." said Yami.

"Hey!"

"And she's my girlfriend, just so you are aware." continued Yami, his light glare back on Mal. That seemed to surprise Mal the most. He squinted at Yami for a second before looking at Yuugi then back again.

"Are you being serious?" he asked.

"As serious as a heart attack." said Marik, letting the legs of his chair fall back down to the ground with a thunk. He leaned across the table, ignoring Yami as he pressed on. "The poor pharaoh is completely smitten with her. Can't spot one without the other on most days."

At the comment of him being smitten with her, Yuugi couldn't help a twinge of pleasure. It would be very nice if that were true.

Apparently she wasn't the only one that was skeptical.

"Like I would trust your word." snorted Mal. "You wanted my opinion Yuugi? If Yami's your boyfriend, dump him. He's totally using you."

Fear pumped quickly through Yuugi, chilling her insides. She saw Yami's eyes widen in surprise. Oh heck, this could get bad really quickly if Mal decided to spill all her insecurities to Yami right here.

Before she could say anything, Marik's loud laughter boomed through her thoughts.

"Oh? Did you hear that Pharoah?" he said. "The squirt's getting cold feet. You'd better woo her again before she finds a new sugar daddy to pamper her."

"That's not-" sputtered Yuugi, unsure where to start defending herself. "I'm not getting cold feet!"

"Well you should." said Mal, his comments not helping at all. "Apparently he knocked up some chick a few years ago, ruining the family then throwing her away. Then he has a new bitch on his arm every other week, parading her around society as-"

Marik stood up so quickly his chair fell to the ground. He stalked over the Mal, irritation evident. Yuugi jumped to her feet as well, Yami quickly wrapping one arm around Yuugi to pull her away from the potential fight.

"You may have a pretty face." Said Marik, his own close to Mal's. "But that doesn't mean I won't smash it if you don't stop talking shit."

"I'm just telling Yuugi what I've heard and seen." said Mal, not even flinching. "I don't even know you or Yami."

"Marik." Said Yami, "That's enough."

Yuugi then noticed something that would be a perfect distraction.

"What about this!" said Yuugi, bursting through Yami's arm to smack her hands on the table. The sound brought everyone's attention to her. All three of them were looking at her as if she were crazy.

"I promised to introduce you to my friends Mal." Said Yuugi, grabbing Mal's arm. She wrenched him to his feet, knocking Marik out of the way in the process. "You've met Yami and Marik, but you need to meet the rest of the gang."

Yuugi then pulled Mal away, making distance between her and the potential disasters waiting to explode.

* * *

 **Holy cow guys, I just realized this has almost hit 100,000 words…. This was supposed to be a twenty-chapter story tops! Ugh. Oh well, at least I know how I'm going to end it. Now to get to that point…**

 **Thank you guys! Hiei Dragon Girl, Madolche Anjelly, KisaraTheDragonCharm, ForeverWildfire2.0, ll Kairi ll, and Mistoka. Hopefully you will never have to have as long a wait as you just had again! I happy to hear that updating made you excited. XD And for the rest of you that want to smack Yami, I'm right there with you!**


	56. Chapter 56

Chapter 56

Life just couldn't be kind to her. She had pulled Mal away from the other two in an attempt to avoid drama. Somehow she'd ended up landing them in the middle of an even bigger melt down. Jounouchi, Honda and Anzu had all arrived, and the first two were currently in a heated argument with Bakura. The man was wearing a threatening scowl, feet planted firmly apart as he stood against their accusations. Apparently they had all found out about Ryou and Bakura dating, and it was safe to say they were less than pleased with the news.

"I don't care about your opinion." Bakura was scowling. "I'd like to see you try and stop me."

Ryou was beside her boyfriend, one hand at her forehead in exasperation. Yuugi herself wanted to tear her hair out.

"I promise they're all nice people." Said Yuugi to Mal, who was standing by her, looking at the scene with an eyebrow raised.

"I'm sure." Said Mal, obviously humoring her.

Yuugi grimaced, but took it for what it was. In some ways she was glad everyone was distracted.

"Listen." Said Yuugi quickly. "Don't say anything to Yami about... you know. My hesitations."

"Whatever." shrugged Mal. "It's not like I care about your drama."

Yuugi brushed off the comment. Based on the way Mal hunched his shoulders and glanced at Yuugi told her the words were mostly a shield against getting attached. How was she able to read him so easily?

Yami and Marik had caught up with Yuugi, the former going up to the argument and telling Honda to chill. Marik came over to where Yuugi and Mal were, placing an arm on Mal's shoulder like an arm rest.

"Get off." Said Mal, shrugging the arm off and moving to the other side of Yuugi, away from Marik.

"You injure me." Marik pouted, placing a hand to his heart. "You have cemented a place in my heart and it now aches to be near you. Must you deny it so?"

Mal narrowed his eyes at Marik, then looked at Yuugi, who had to place her hands over her mouth to stop from laughing. That was a little too similar to what Yuugi had done to tease Mal a few days ago and Mal had obviously noticed it as well.

"I see you two are close." snorted Mal.

"She will be my sister in law one day." said Marik.

Yuugi chose to ignore that comment.

"When you were talking about Yami getting a girl pregnant." Said Yuugi to Mal. "Were you talking about that incident with Ryuji's sister?"

"I think that's who it was." Said Mal with a shrug. "Don't pay much attention to the gossip, but that was such a huge thing even I heard about it."

"Thought so." Said Yuugi. "That's all been cleaned up by the way. Yami didn't get her pregnant. It was a big misunderstanding and Yami and Ryuji have made up."

"And you trust Yami that's how it happened?" said Mal. "It wouldn't be the first time someone lied about their past."

"I was there when they made up." Said Yuugi with a smile. "And about him being with a new girl at each party, that was because of a deal me made with his parents. He hasn't had a date to a party since he started dating me."

"I can attest to that." Said Marik, who was still eavesdropping on their conversation. "The parents aren't too happy about it either. If he wasn't keeping his other deals they might have already pulled him from school."

"Sounds complicated." Said Mal. "Not that I care, but I still think you should dump him Yuugi. You're way too young for him."

There was a pause. Yuugi and Marik both looked at each other, then Marik guffawed, holding his sides in mirth. His outburst was so loud that Yami, Ryou and Anzu turned to look at him. The other three were still in the middle of a dick measuring contest. Yuugi huffed at him in annoyance.

"It's not that funny!" said Yuugi.

"This is brilliant. Yami, you're a pedophile!"

Yuugi's boyfriend looked insulted, while Mal just appeared to be bewildered.

"I don't get it." Said Mal, now starting to get annoyed. "What's your problem?"

"Mal, how old do you think I am?" said Yuugi.

"I don't know. 13 tops?" he said.

At that, Marik's laughter started again. This time he was accompanied by both Ryou and Anzu, who couldn't help but chuckle at Yuugi, who along with Mal was starting to get annoyed.

"What the heck is wrong with you?" asked Mal.

"Malik." Said Yami, who had abandoned the other three to their argument. "Yuugi graduates high school this year. She's actually a year older than you."

The blonde's eyes widened as he gawked at Yuugi, as if she would tell him he was lying. She had her arms folded, expression blank.

"So you thought I was a middle schooler this whole time?" she said.

"I-"

Mal was saved having to answer. Jou had made to grab Bakura's shirt and the man had dodged the grab, reversing the situation and putting Jounouchi in a head lock. Instantly everyone was on edge, calling at Bakura to stop. Yuugi was too far away to hear, but Bakura said something to Jou, who managed to shrug him off, rubbing his neck. Then he held out a hand, which Bakura took, grabbing his forearm in a determined shake. Honda was next, shaking Bakura's arm in the same manner.

Yuugi let out a breath of relief. It looked like that had managed to sort itself out without any broken noses.

"You three are idiots." Said Yuugi, finally catching Jou, Bakura's and Honda's attention.

"It's not stupid to be concerned about your friends." Said Jou. "Why didn't you tell me Ryou and Bakura were dating?"

"I believe in keeping secrets when my friends ask me to."

"Hey, Bakura, listen to this!" said Marik, who had snuck beside Mal during the scuffle. He had another arm wrapped around Mal's shoulder and was pointing at his face. "This guy totally thought Yuugi was a middle school student."

She had hoped Marik would have looked over that one, but it looked like he wasn't going to let it go. She dipped her head in exasperation as Marik and Bakura teased her. She didn't hold the grudge for long however. The topic allowed Mal to enter the conversation naturally while he tried to bat off both of their insults. They eventually got bored with teasing and Yuugi was able to pull Mal away from Marik to have him meet Anzu and Ryou.

"This is Mal you guys." Said Yuugi. "I ran into him at the store and we ended up hitting it off."

"Is he the one Jou said you gave his number to?" said Ryou.

"Wait a second Yuugi." Said Anzu, narrowing her eyes at her. "You're wearing makeup! Who put that on you?"

Yuugi grinned sheepishly. "I did. Mal actually taught me a little and that's how we met."

"What?!" she turned to Mal, puffing out her cheeks in annoyance. "No fair, I wanted to teach her how to put on makeup!"

"You've had, what? 17 years to do that, unless you're lying about her age." Said Mal. "I can't help it if she cornered me at the store and forced me to help her."

"Did you really do that?" said Ryou, chuckling. "That sounds like you. I think you met Bakura by forcing him to leave his knives at home instead of bringing them to school."

"You have a death wish." Said Mal.

Honda called to them a second later, asking them to play a game of pool. Soon, there were two tables going, and everyone was definitely not playing by the rules. Yuugi smiled, enjoying watching as the whole gang had fun messing around. They had instantly welcomed Mal into the group, half bullying him into playing with them. It was amusing to watch him get flustered anytime someone offered any sort of friendly gesture his direction.

She was so energized by the group that she almost forgot about her awkward almost kiss with Yami.

Almost.

She met his eyes and quickly glanced away, having noticed that his gaze had lingered on her more than once. She would talk to him. She would. Just after she stopped blushing.

* * *

 **Thanks for your reviews you guys! Hiei Dragon Girl, vcjb242, Madolche Anjelly, kaitenzero, Mistoka and, SkyNakama27. I can't wait for the next chapter! I think y'all will like it.**

 **Mistoka: I'm not sure if another Yami chapter will sneak its way in again. I'd have to back track and maneuver because I don't want to reveal yet what Yami's thought process is. It's part of what keeps the story interesting. Both Yuugi and you, the reader, don't understand what's going through Yami's head. I'll see what I can do, but please don't be sad If I can't manage it. XD**

 **Glad I could make your day kaitenzero!**


	57. Chapter 57

Chapter 57

"I think Malik is having fun." said Yami.

"I agree." Said Yuugi, watching alongside Yami as they sat at their table. "At first I was a little concerned, what with his 'not caring' act, but it all turned out alright."

The two of them had decided to take a break, watching as Jounouchi, Marik, Mal and Honda played a game of teams eight-ball. The others had all wondered off, doing who knew what.

Yuugi had finally gotten the nerve to talk to Yami. Playing games had helped. She always had more confidence when she played against him. He was way too much fun to have as a rival as well as a best friend.

"How did you meet him anyway?" asked Yami.

Yuugi quickly related the story, Yami listening attentively.

"I don't know why, but he instantly grabbed my attention." Said Yuugi with a shrug. "I just couldn't leave him alone, if you can understand me. Not that I'm pitying him or anything. Probably more intrigued."

"I understand you." Said Yami. He reached forward, lacing his fingers through her hands that was currently resting on the table. "You've always had a way with people who are normally closed off to others. It's one thing that I've always admired about you."

Yuug smiled shyly, accepting the compliment and looking at their hands.

"Yami, we need to talk." She said quietly, drawing strength from the connection. She was looking down, so she didn't see the effect her words had on him. If she had, she would have seen a shadow of fear in Yami's face. Instead, when she looked up, all she was his calm expression, the one he wore when he needed to mask his emotions.

"What is it?" he said. It was somewhat annoying how calm he was, what with Yuugi's insides currently boiling.

 _Do you still like me? Why didn't you kiss me? What's going on with us? Oh and I'm currently being bullied and I feel like crap because I have no self-esteem._

Yuugi grimaced. Yeah, this was not a conversation to have siting in a crowded bar, half shouting over the noise.

"Let's not talk here." Said Yami, "It's too noisy. They have a balcony upstairs most people don't know about. We can talk there."

"Aright." Said Yuugi, wondering if he had heard her thoughts.

He smiled at her, squeezing her hand as he led her through the room. They reached the stairs Yuugi had noticed earlier, climbing them and passing through another door to another set of stairs. Soon they were outside, walking across the roof of the building. It was dimly lit, the lights from the other buildings casting a soft orange and red glow on the roof. There was a guard rail, no doubt put in place for people like Yami and Yuugi who came up here to get away from the noise.

Yuugi grinned. She loved high places. This was awesome! She quickly hurried to the edge, peering over the railing to look below. The line was mostly gone, since it was late and most people were already inside or leaving for the night.

"Don't lean too far over." Said Yami, who had come to stand beside her. "These rails aren't the safest."

Yuugi leaned back, now taking the time to look at Yami. It was actually lighter out here and she could see him better. It should have scared her, but instead it helped her see him. See him and remember that he was her best friend and that he would never do anything to purposefully hurt her.

"Why didn't you kiss me?" said Yuugi, jumping straight to the point.

Yami's eye widened for a moment. To her immense surprise, he blushed. Yami blushed! That almost never happened.

He cleared his throat, obviously taken off guard.

"You're talking about on the dance floor." He said.

She nodded.

Yami grimaced, rubbing the back of his neck, evidently embarrassed.

"Well, you requested that we take it slow. I didn't want to push you if you weren't ready for that step."

Yuugi opened her mouth to speak, then left it there. Of course! She was an idiot. Here she was, wondering if he even wanted to kiss her when she should have been remembering that the moron took her feelings more into consideration than his own.

"Idiot!" she finally said. "What did I say about being more honest with yourself?"

"Excuse me, but you also told me you wanted to take it slow." he said. "Those two cannot happen together."

"I… guess I did." Said Yuugi, wanting to smack herself in the head. "But still, walking away like that did not help. I thought you weren't interested in kissing me at all."

"You thought I…" Yami trailed off, closing his eyes as he rubbed his temples.

"Stupid." He said.

"Hey!" said Yuugi.

"Not you, me." Said Yami, opening his eyes. "I obviously haven't been making you feel cared for have I?"

"That-" _was completely spot on._ "Not true. You've always been a great friend and we've always taken care of each other. Well, besides walking away in the middle of the dance floor and confusing me, but hey! It's not like it's your job or anything to make me feel cared for."

"Actually, I think it is." He said, taking her hand. He looked at it, lightly rubbing his fingers along her palm. It sent a tingling of sensation up her arm, one she greatly enjoyed. It almost distracted her from what he said next. "When I asked you to become my girlfriend, I promised to make you happy. Instead, it sounds like I've managed to confuse you."

"That's not true." Yuugi repeated, also looking at their joining hands. "You have made me happy. Crazy happy actually. It's just..."

And that was when the true impact of the bullying hit her. She knew it had been effecting her relationship with Yami, but she hadn't seen the extent of it. She hadn't realized that it had made her dissatisfied with things that had normally made her happy. Instead of just enjoying Yami's presence, she had instead been plagued with delusions that he was getting sick of her, just because he hadn't tried to do anything to her.

"It's just that I'm an idiot." Sighed Yuugi. "I have a confession to make."

Yuugi pulled her hand back, wringing them silently in front of her. She couldn't look at Yami as she tried to figure out the best way to say this.

"You know how people have started bullying me more since I started dating you?" she said. "I said that it wasn't bugging me, but it is. A lot actually."

She managed to glance at him, then found her eyes stuck. He was watching her closely, jaw and posture tense. It radiated controlled irritation.

"Yuugi." Said Yami calmly. "I thought-"

Yuugi threw out her hands. "Stop, I know you're going to lecture me, but hear me out!" she said. "At first it was fine but then a girl pointed out that by dating you I'm eventually going to have to deal with the society you live in. At least if you ever wanted to get serious with me and I honestly wasn't sure if you would because then why would you want someone like me since I'm not that glamorous or pretty especially as an emerged female and then I thought that you might be mocked because you were associated with me and the thought just made me sick because I don't want to disgrace you and then you had something you weren't telling me and I thought you might have realized that I'm just a normal person after dating me and-"

"Yuugi. Breathe." Said Yami, placing his hands on her shoulders.

Yuugi took a much needed breath, taking a few seconds to calm herself. She then peered up at Yami, quickly adding: "And then you had to go study and I got a little lonely."

"Which meant you started thinking too much." Finished Yami. "Let me guess. This is also associated with you learning to put on makeup."

"It sounds a little pathetic when said out loud." Muttered Yuugi.

"No, it doesn't." said Yami. "I should have realized this was what was bugging you."

"Not really." Said Yuugi. "I was trying to hide it. Plus, it's not like it's your fault or anything."

"No, but I should have seen this coming."

Yami removed his hands from her shoulders, folding them across his chest as she glared at the floor.

"What's happening to you is exactly what happened to Ryuji's sister." He said. "When we were fake dating, she was constantly bullied. Everywhere she went, people sneered and mocked her, eventually driving her to almost…" Yami swallowed. "I thought that maybe you would be spared from that sort of behavior since we're so far away from high society. But I guess bullying is bullying no matter the socio-economic status of the population."

And there he was, taking upon himself too much again. Yuugi's heart instantly melted, and she walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his center. He shifted, allowing her to slide under his arms.

"You know." Said Yuugi. "I feel a ton better after telling you about it."

And it was true. It was as if a huge weight was gone, completely lifted off her shoulders. The two-week long knot in her stomach came undone, allowing relief to flood her system. She felt invincible in that moment, acknowledging her fears and weaknesses. As if identifying them with Yami could help her change them.

"I'm sorry Yuugi." Said Yami, hugging her closely. "I've been too caught up in my own happiness to notice your distress."

"I'm the idiot that didn't say anything about it." Said Yuugi. "Besides, I can't just rely on your opinion of me for my own self esteem. At least not in the long run. I'll have to love myself for who I am, not just because you like me."

Yami chuckled. "Perhaps, but there is no problem with a boost, especially since you're still adjusting to emerging."

"Speaking of a boost."

Yuugi looked up at Yami, lightly glaring at him. "We need to talk about this definition of going slowly, because this speed is not working."

"Oh really now?" said Yami, smirking at her. His hand had again fallen to her hips, clasped behind her as they pulled her closer, imitating their previous position on the dance floor. Her hands had come up as well, lightly gripping his biceps.

"I'm not the person to ask since I'm not the one that insisted on it." He said, voice low.

"You are such a tease."

"Says the person that claimed they couldn't dance." Said Yami. "Were you trying to seduce me? Because it was your fault I almost lost control."

A grin spread across Yuugi's face. So she had affected him. Her initial thoughts had been right. Feeling bold, she slid her hand up his arm, cupping his face in her hands. Then she lightly pulled him closer to her.

"Then I guess I'll just have to take control." She whispered.

She closed her eyes, except this time, instead of waiting, she pressed forward.

The kiss was soft, pleasant, and sent ripples of joy through her system. His lips weren't soft, but there was a gentle caress in the action as she pressed his lips to hers, as if to convey a message. It was short, and she pulled away slightly a second later, a silly grin on her face as her body overflowed in delight, eyes still closed as she basked in the feeling.

"Yuugi."

Her body shivered when he said her name. She opened her eyes, meeting Yami's ruby one's. They were half lidded, heavy with emotion. They were still only inches apart, and she didn't want to move anywhere but closer. Apparently Yami had the same thought. One of his hands pressed against her back, the other reaching up to caress her face with his fingers.

He tilted his head slightly, lips pressing against hers again. She closed her eyes, this time the kiss lasting longer. While the first one had been pleasant, this one was more urgent as Yami took control, pressed firmly against her own. The sensation caused her stomach to turn, but not in an unpleasant way. It stirred something new inside of her, causing her whole body to tingle in delight.

Then he retreated. She took a deep breath, not having realized she'd stopped breathing. That had been… wow.

He eyes fluttered open, and she again saw Yami inches from her face.

"Sorry." He whispered, his breath ghosting across her face.

"What for?" said Yuugi.

"For not asking."

"Did I ask before kissing you?"

A grin tugged at the end of Yami's very kissable lips. He then pressed those same lips against her cheek.

"You don't ever have to ask before kissing me." He said.

Hot. Yuugi was again getting very hot, the only difference was that she was outside in the chilly air instead of smashed between sweaty dancing bodies. She could feel her head entering that same buzzed state, her world consisting entirely of Yami and this moment. She knew where this led. He body recognized it, and she could see the same thing happening in Yami. They were both falling deeper into the moment. Perhaps she should be scared, but instead, she found herself longing for it.

Yuugi grabbed his wandering fingers, pressing her lips against them.

"Same here." Said Yuugi. "So don't hold back."

Yami's eyes told her he planned on doing just that. They flickered, darkening with desire.

Before she was able to find out the extent of that desire, the door to the roof opened. The spell between them was broken as the world suddenly came back into focus. She turned her head at the entrance, frozen in Yami's arms.

The tall bouncer from before was coming out, looking around. He spotted them, motioning to them.

"You two came in with Marik right?" he said.

"Yes." Said Yami. At least he managed not to sound breathless like Yuugi felt.

What the bouncer said a second later made her breath catch.

"Your white haired friend was found hurt. We just sent him to the hospital."

Yuugi's head whipped towards Yami, fear and dread filling her.

 _Bakura!_

* * *

 **Thank you lovelies! For your kind words and reviews! whitlaw123, Hiei Dragon Girl, kaitenzero, Krazypeople, vcjb242, Mistoka, Madolche Anjelly, SkyNakama27.**

 **I'm so fascinated and happy that you guys say this story is believable and relatable. I tried to make it more about just romance and also about every day life problems, especially ones that girls face. Now that being said... on with the hyped drama!**


	58. Chapter 58

Chapter 58

By the time they got downstairs, the ambulance was already gone. So too were Bakura, Ryou, Marik, Honda and Jounouchi. Anzu and Mal were hanging by the front, Anzu wringing her hands in worry as she shifted her weight back and forth. Her head whipped around and she ran to Yuugi as soon as she saw her. Anzu grabbed Yuugi's hands in tears.

"Oh, Yuugi. Do you think he'll be alright?"

Yuugi stilled her own worried heart as she gave Anzu a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry Anzu." Said Yuugi. "Bakura is as resilient as a cockroach. He'll be fine I'm sure."

"But, it wasn't Bakura, it was Ryou that was hurt." Said Anzu.

"What?"

Her heart tightened a smidge. That was significantly more troubling. What had happened to get mild tempered Ryou into trouble? Surely Bakura hadn't had something to do with this.

"Do you know what happened?" asked Yami, who was standing close by Yuugi.

Anzu shook her head.

"I wasn't there. I was talking to someone and then I heard the sirens. Then I saw them take Ryou out on a stretcher. There was a lot of blood…. He looked so pale Yuugi."

Her voice died as she dissolved again into her fear, crying and trying to dry her tears. Yami came by her as well, resting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Let's go see him." Said Yami. "Then we can see how he's doing."

Anzu nodded, indicating that she had heard. As Yami walked Anzu to his car, Yuugi went up to Mal.

"Thanks for watching over her." Said Yuugi.

"Sure thing." Said Mal, then he hesitated, scratching the back of his head while not looking at her. "Do you mind if I come as well? I know I just met the guy but… I'm a little concerned for him."

"Of course." Said Yuugi. "I'm sure Ryou would be happy to have you there as well."

Mal gave an appreciative grimace.

They went to the car, Yuugi siting by Anzu and rubbing her back to sooth her worries as they drove. Yuugi herself was trying not to panic. They had no idea if Ryou's life was in immediate danger or not. The car ride to the hospital took longer than Yuugi thought it should.

Once inside, they soon found the rest of the gang in the waiting room. Honda was sitting, head bent with his face in his hands while Jounouchi paced back and forth. He stopped as they approached, nodding to them.

"How's Ryou?" asked Yami as they approached.

"The doc says he'll be fine." Said Jou, "They're just concerned because he lost a lot of blood and hasn't woken up yet."

"So he's going to be alright?" asked Anzu.

Jou nodded.

"Thank goodness." She said, sinking into one of the seats.

Yuugi herself didn't relax. Jou's still tense posture told her that something else was wrong. Otherwise Honda wouldn't have his head bent like that. What else was there to the story?

"Do you know what happened?" asked Yami. She could tell Yami had caught on to the undertones as well.

Marik, who was staring out the window with his arms folded answered without changing focus. "We have no idea. One second we were playing pool, the next, Ryou and Barkua were gone, and we heard Ryou scream. I ran outside and found him on the ground, hurt. I called the ambulance and tried to... help Ryou in what way I could while we waited for the medics."

Yuugi narrowed her eyes. Marik was being vague on purpose as to how Ryou was hurt. She noticed a red stain on Marik's collar and she briefly wondered if the front of his shirt was stained as well. She might have asked, but she didn't want to frighten Anzu anymore than she already was. Her eyes had already refilled with tears at Marik's censored story.

"Where's the boyfriend? Bakura?" said Mal, looking around. "Is he in there with him?"

"No." said Jou, and his voice turned cold. "The jerk hasn't shown up an' isn't answering any of our phones. He's gone and no one knows where. He's probably da reason Ryou got hurt and hightailed it out of there as soon as he saw."

"We don't know that." Said Honda, who had come out of his slump.

"Then where is he?" said Jou, voice rising. "Where is he when his boyfriend is laying in the hospital huh? He's gone, that's where he is. I can't believe I trusted that jerk when he said he'd take care of our bud."

"I doubt Bakura would run off without a good reason." Said Yuugi.

Jou let out a snort. "Yeah, 'cuase he's ' _changed'_ since meeting Ryou. I bet he was the one that stabbed Ryou in the first place."

"He was stabbed!" Anzu's voice shrieked at the news. Her face had turned pale and Yuugi seriously thought she might faint.

Yami glared at Jou while Marik lazily said "Way to go idiot."

Yuugi quickly hurried to Anzu's side, grabbing her shaking hands and giving them a squeeze.

"He will be fine Anzu." Said Yuugi, putting as much strength in her words as she could. "Don't worry. The doctors said he will recover. He's safe."

Anzu nodded mutely, biting her lip in worry. Yuugi stayed by her side, giving her comforting words as Jou continued to rant, Honda, Yami and Marik occasionally butting in to either agree or tell him to shut up. It became loud enough that one of the hospital staff came and asked them to leave. Jou refused to leave until he saw that Ryou was alright, but eventually relented when they threated to call security on them.

Yuugi kept hold of Anzu's hand while Yami went and apologized to the staff as they were ushered out. Jounouchi and Honda went to their own vehicle, muttering threats as Marik and Mal came over to Yuugi as they waited outside by the entrance for Yami to bring the car around.

"Sorry." Said Yuugi to Mal. "There's usually not this much drama… well maybe sometimes there is, but… thank you for coming."

Mal shrugged his shoulders, as if to say it was _'whatever'._ Yuugi smiled, shaking Anzu's hand slightly to get her attention.

"What should we get Ryou while he's in the hospital?" said Yuugi. "Should we get him a card and flowers? Like what I got you?"

The suggestion served to distract her, eyes brightening a little at the old memory. She let out a hiccup, offering a few suggestions on different gifts that may be appropriate to bring. The topic carried them all the way back to the club where they dropped Mal off where he could grab his car and then to Anzu's house. Any mention of Bakura was purposefully avoided for another time when they weren't all tired and brain dead from the drama. She gave Yuugi one last hug before going inside, Yami waiting till the front door closed before driving off.

Yuugi climbed to the front of the car, sliding into the front seat. Marik was snoozing soundly in the back, body slumped up against the door.

"So." said Yuugi.

"I don't know." Said Yami. "What Bakura is thinking, or what is going on. I'm sorry. I wish I did."

Yuugi nodded. She had been wondering if Yami knew more about it than she did, but apparently not. It looked like they'd have to wait for either Bakura to show up or for Ryou to wake up. She sighed, sinking lower in the car as they drove down the deserved highways. It was late, and she was exhausted.

"I'm actually surprised at how calm Marik was with the whole situation, considering how bad he is at controlling his temper." She glanced in the reaview mirror, making sure Marik was still asleep.

Yami gave a wry smirk.

"Marik has his moments of sanity."

Yuugi allowed herself a small chuckle before gazing out the window, watching the road go by as Yami drove them to her home. The day had started out so differently than the end that she couldn't remember how it had started. Only that morning she had been experimenting with makeup before Yami and the rest of them barged into her house, telling her they were going clubbing. One second they had been having fun, the next, Ryou had been hurt. She hoped Mal and the rest of them managed to get home safely. She'd have to visit Ryou later tomorrow.

The motion of her car door opening shook her awake. She inhaled sharply, not even remembering falling asleep. Yami stood by her open door, hand resting on the frame.

"Sorry." Mumbled Yuugi, rubbing her eyes.

"It's fine." Said Yami

He held out a hand which Yuugi took, grateful for it when she stumbled the next second while getting out of the car. Her body was sluggish, way past ready to go to sleep. She leaned against Yami, yawning as he walked her to the door.

"How are you holding up?" asked Yami.

Yuugi turned her bleary eyes to Yami, noting him watching her, face pinched in concern. Touched by his thoughtfulness, she hugged his arm a little tighter, giving him a reassuring smile.

"I'll be better after I get a good night's sleep." She said. "I'm really worried about Ryou of course. If he was stabbed I can't help but wonder why this all happened. It probably has something to do with Bakura, especially since he wasn't there… I think I'm most worried about Ryou's relationship with Bakura. I hope that this will all work out and when all the pieces come together it makes a picture we can all be satisfied with."

Yuugi covered her mouth as another yawn escaped.

"What about you?" she said. "Are you worried?"

"I am." said Yami. "But I feel similar to you. It's just as troubling that Bakura wasn't there. I just hope he hasn't gotten himself killed…"

Yes, that was another possibility. The few moments Yuugi had seen had convinced her that Bakura indeed treasured Ryou. It was just as likely that Bakura chased the person that stabbed Ryou and gotten himself killed trying to get revenge. He was that type of guy.

If Yuugi thought the night's disasters were done, she was wrong. The fact that Yuugi didn't have to unlock the front door should have been her first warning. As she and Yami walked into the living room, she noticed the lights were already on. Then she saw the bags lying by the couch.

Yuugi swallowed as her grandfather stood up from his chair, arms folded, face like thunder as he glared at Yami and Yuugi. She felt her boyfriend stiffen beside her as he too suffered under the obvious wrath of her grandfather.

"Yuugi, Yami." He said, voice low like rumbling thunder. "Can you tell me why you two are getting home at 3:30 in the morning?"

* * *

 **Thank you my friends for your reviews! AnimaniAshley, Money100, Mistoka, RequiemRein, justsomeone, Hiei Dragon Girl, whitlaw123, lollileahpop, SkyNakama27, and kaitenzero!**

 **No worries AnimaniAshley. Glad to have you back! Life takes a chunk out of all of us sometimes.**

 **Part of the reason this update was so slow is cause I started working on the other story and I'm on vacation. Woops. XD**

 **RequiemRein, I used 'they' and 'them' because it is gender neutral. I'm having issues with keeping peoples genders straight in the story. Plus Yami didn't want to address if they liked a girl or a guy. If you notice going back through the story, Yami never once acknowledges that he likes a girl. Yuugi just assumes he does.**

 **kaitenzero, WHen I started writing the story, I had loose scenes and scenarios that I wanted to have happen. But it's been very much a write as I go kind of things with some general plot points I make sure to hit. Hope that answers your question. :)**


	59. Chapter 59

Chapter 59

Yuugi had always imagined she would die from old age, either in her sleep, or by some illness typical of living a long life. Of course, she also never expected to arrive home past 3:00am with a very angry grandpa breathing fire at her. At least she had been able to experience her first kiss before dying.

Yami rolled his eyes. "You're not going to die Yuugi." He said. "Gramps will understand once he hears what happened."

"Will I now?" said Grandpa, raising a disapproving eyebrow at him. He sat on the armchair, arms crossed and still radiating anger at Yuugi and Yami who were both kneeling on the ground at his feet. Yuugi was sweating bullets, head down and unable to look at her grandfather in the eye. Yami's head was bowed as well, though not as far as Yuugi's.

"I can't think of one good reason why the two of you would be out so late at night." He said. "Yami, I expected you to take better care of my granddaughter than this. Didn't you promise to keep her chaste?"

Yuugi's face erupted like a volcano as she whipped it up to stare completely horrified at her grandpa. "You thought we were at a- Gosh grandpa no! Why would you even say that?"

"Because apparently Gramps still remembers how strong a young man's urges are." Said Yami.

"You're not helping Yami!" she hissed, shoving Yami lightly in the side with her elbow.

"What? It's the truth. I'm assuming you've forgotten after emerging since you thought I had no interest in kissing you."

"This and that are two completely different things."

"Not really. They both involve intimate acts of contact that get the blood flowing and lead to-"

"Stop!" said Yuugi, jumping to her feet and actually gripping her hair in frustration. "I'm way too tired to be having this type of conversation with you!"

Yami stoop up, moving slowly towards Yuugi with an evil smirk on his face as he raised his hands threateningly at her. "Should I do something to you that will help you wake up?"

Yuugi's flight reflexes kicked in, knowing exactly what was coming. She darted away from Yami with a muddled shriek as he gave chase around the living room. She nearly tripped on her face when her foot caught the carpet, Yami vaulting the sofa to pull her into a tight hug from behind. He then proceeded to start tickling her mercilessly, Yuugi squirming and yelping.

A booming voice of _"BOYS!"_ brought them both to a frozen halt.

 _Oh yea, grandpa_

In unison, the turned stiffly, almost comically to grandpa, who was standing again, expression dark.

"Did-" started Yuugi, blinking at him. "Did you just say 'boys'?"

Confusion crossed Gramps face before he huffed in annoyance.

"You know what I meant Yuugi." He said. "I'm serious. I expected better from both of you. Instead I see an inability to take a situation seriously. I'm very disappointed in you both."

That speech sobered Yuugi tremendously. She wriggled out of Yami's grasp, all playfulness leaving her quickly as she remembered why they had arrived home so late.

"Sorry grandpa." She said. "It's… been a long night."

"And I'm anxious to hear about it." Said Gramps.

She glanced at Yami, whose face had become grimmer and thoughtful. They returned to their spot on the floor, Yuugi wondering how best to start the story. She was saved the trouble when Yami began to explain.

"I came over earlier today to the house." Said Yami. "It had been a while since I had seen Yuugi and I wanted to spend time together. Sometime in the evening, I got a call from a friend who invited us to go to a club."

Panic immediately settled in Yuugi. She hadn't planned on lying, but wasn't it a good idea to tell grandpa that they went to a club. She looked up, dreading to see how grandpa took the news. The man was calm, giving Yami a level stare.

"What was the name of the club you went to?" he asked.

"The Obelisk nightclub sir."

Gramps nodded. "A relatively safe nightclub. I'm actually surprised it took you this long to try sneaking out and going to a club, considering youngsters these days."

Yuugi frowned. That's not the type of reaction she was expecting.

"However." He continued. "That club does not stay open until three in the morning. What were you two doing that made you stay out all night?"

Yuugi shared a glance with Yami. This time she spoke up.

"We were at the hospital Gramps." She said. "Ryou was hurt…"

"What!?"

And there was the anger and confusion she had expected from hearing they had gone to a club. Gramps was upset, but he was obviously more worried than anything.

"What happened? Is he alright?" said Gramps.

"The doctors said he'll be fine." Said Yuugi. "We're actually not sure how it happened. Me and Yami were… together and then were told by the bouncer that Ryou had been hurt. Ryou hasn't woken up yet, but they say he'll recover. We were at the hospital until earlier."

Gramps let out a tired sigh, running a hand down his face. "I guess it's not as safe as I thought it was." He muttered. "I'm just glad that you weren't hurt Yuugi. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Yuugi bit her lip, feeling shame rush into her at the statement. All she and grandpa had were each other, not a single one of their other relatives alive. Going to a club had seemed like such a harmless idea, but now she regretted it.

"I'm sorry Gramps." Said Yuugi, lowering her head. "I didn't mean to worry you."

"I must bare most of the blame." Said Yami beside her. "I encouraged her to go with me. It was irresponsible on my part to go along with our friend's plan."

"I'm glad you've learned your lesson." Said Gramps. "I was very worried about you. Both of you really."

He let out a long sigh, one that spoke volumes the amount of stress he had experienced in the last few hours. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ground you for a week Yuugi." He said. "No video or computer games, going out with your friends after school or having Yami come over until next Saturday."

"What!" said Yuugi, "But I was only just able to see him again! I don't want another week of that!"

Yuugi couldn't help it. She was typically a good kid, pouting but never outright protesting any punishment gramps gave her. However, she had become greedy when it came to Yami, and her heart still remembered the difference between seeing Yami away from school verses not. She had no desire to go through that again. Based on the sour expression on Yami's face, neither did he.

"I will not relent on this Yuugi." Said Gramps. "He took you to a club when you were underage and put you in danger, albeit unknowingly. He's lucky I still approve of him being your boyfriend. I'm sure Yami would understand once he thinks about his actions."

"Quite clearly Mutou-san." Said Yami. "I assure you, this excursion will not be repeated anytime soon."

Yuugi slumped where she sat, frustrated, tired and upset at everything that had happened. And the night had been going so well…

"Now." Said Gramps, standing up and rubbing his face. "I'm beat. I haven't slept for almost twenty hours. Go say goodnight to your boyfriend Yuugi, then hurry and go to bed."

"Ah!" said Yuugi, gratitude blossoming as she recognized gramps giving her time to say a proper goodbye to Yami. "Thanks gramps. I will."

She grabbed Yami's hand, walking him to the door as Gramps shuffled off to his room. At the threshold she paused, turning to face Yami as he in turn faced her.

"This sucks." She pouted, unable to keep the disappointment from her voice. "We just started seeing each other again, and now we have to wait another week."

"That it does" agreed Yami. "But I can't say I blame your grandfather. He's just worried about you, and we did technically break the rules."

"I guess." She muttered, her thoughts turning to Ryou. "Do you think he'll be alright?"

She didn't have to specify who she was talking about.

"I'll keep a look out for Bakura." Said Yami. "You should visit Ryou as soon as you and gramps wake up tomorrow. Let me know how he's doing since your gramps forgot to confiscate your phone as well."

"Alright." Said Yuugi, feeling glum.

Fingers grasped her chin, carefully tilting it up to look at Yami's face. Yuugi found herself staring into his determined eyes, strength and affection visible behind them.

"How about this." he said. "At the end of the week, we go on a date? I never did take you out like you promised me."

"Really?" asked Yuugi, excited at the prospect. Now that she thought about it, they hadn't been on a proper date yet.

"It's about time I take you out on one." chuckled Yami, no doubt amused by her enthusiasm. "I'll make sure to have everything planned. That way you can have something to look forward to at the end of the grounding."

"I hope I'm not the only one that will look forward to it." She teased.

A smirk crossed Yami's lips. "Naturally. I'm sure I'll have trouble sleeping the night before."

She honestly couldn't tell if he was joking. His fingers still had a hold of her chin, the grip light enough she could escape is she wanted to. They had naturally started drifting towards one another, something she hadn't noticed till now. Yami's hand on her chin shifted, now cupping her face as he leaned in closer. Her body remembered and accepted the kiss, closing her eyes automatically.

It was a quick press of the lips in goodbye, but it still sent a flurry of butterflies through her stomach. She marveled at the effect, wondering if she'd ever get used to just kissing.

She opened her eyes, Yami's face still close as he smiled warmly at her.

"Goodnight Yuugi." He whispered, voice low.

"Goodnight Yami."

He brushed his thumb against her cheek one last time before walking away and back to his car. Yuugi waved at him before closing the door with a sigh. One week was going to be a _long_ time.

* * *

 **Madolche Anjelly, Guest, whitlaw123, justsomeone, SkyNakama27, ForeverWildfire2.0, Money100, Deji princess, Hiei Dragon Girl, and** **Bravemaridin; You guys are seriously too kind! I thoroughly enjoy writing this not only for myself, but for you guys as well. Thank you all so much!**

 **We shall have to see what happens with Ryou's identity as a girl. Yup, that is a problem isn't it...**

 **The next chapter won't be for a while since there is a lot to write. (It's extra scenes in Yami's perspective as per Mistoka's request XD) The extra scenes will be in two parts since it's been a long time and there is a lot of background stuff that we had no idea happened. Hopefully it will explain a lot about what's been going through Yami's head.**

 **Deji princess: I'm glad I could re-corrupt you to rejoin the world of FF. XD and yes, TAS is like the best ever! Sometimes I still crack up after reading my username. Thank you for your review!  
**


	60. Chapter 60: Yami Extra

Chapter 60 Extra: Yami Chapters

 _(Chapter 29)_

Yami felt like crap. The bruises from where Bakura had slugged him shrieked out in protest as he got out of bed and began to get ready for school. He gave a weak cough, cursing his dry throat. Stupid cold. He should have listened to Yuugi and dried his hair properly. There was a constant ache behind his eyes as they throbbed without mercy as the sight of the morning sun involuntarily brought tears to his eyes. Everything felt heavy and sluggish.

All of this however, was nothing compared to the heaviness in his heart. The hole of disappointment and emptiness that had not relented in the slightest over the weekend. The combination of recovering from a cold and broken heart was not a good mix.

His body desired nothing more than to go back to bed and sleep until next week. His brain however, screamed that would be a bad idea. Yuugi was sure to be still freaked out about his confession, thinking herself in circles without anyone there to talk to. Hence why he'd sent Ryou that morning to pick her up. If Yami didn't turn up at school, Yuugi would probably jump to conclusions and think it was her fault. The last thing he wanted to do was make her even more confused and worried. Either way, he'd probably have to endure her avoiding him for the whole day anyway. The thought did not cheer him up.

Heartbroken and exhausted, he dragged himself to school.

He'd barely closed his locker, books in hand when he heard a shout. His body stiffened at the voice, a ripple of panic shooting through him. Yuugi stood, huffing slightly from running and pointed at him.

"You!' she shouted, "I told you to dry your hair properly. Now you have a cold. Why are you even here today? Go home and rest of peat's sake."

"It's not that bad." Said Yami slowly, confused at her behavior. Wasn't she going to avoid him? His throat immediately cried out in protest at being used. "I don't have a temperature. I'm just coughing at this point."

And then the impossible happened. She didn't avoid him. In fact, she yelled at him for keeping his feelings a secret. For not taking care of his own feelings and encouraging her own. She wasn't avoiding him, nor did she hate him.

She also asked the big question. If his feelings were so insignificant that he would be fine just being friends. Yami saw what this was. It was an opportunity to keep things how they always were. To go back to being just friends and never go back down this road again. He felt the desire to say yes, encourage by his fears to say that he had just become confused because of her emergence. But he also saw the glare in Yuugi's face. She wanted the truth, and the truth was, Yami couldn't take it anymore. It was starting to hurt too much to be in her presence and not be able to express what she meant to him.

"No." he said quietly. "I would not be okay with it."

Yuugi threw her hands in the air, shouting "Thank you!"

She was amazing, that was something Yami again appreciated as she continued to berate him. She was sure to be confused, self-conscious and weirded out by his crush on her, but she stood her ground and faced his feelings without flinching. It softened the sickness in his stomach, glad that she at least wasn't going to shun him.

And then she said it. She said that she would consider his confession. The sentence was so unexpected that Yami couldn't answer. His heart was beating madly in his chest, fear, joy and disbelief rooting him to the spot. It was a good thing he had that mask on or else he would have been standing there gaping wordlessly at her.

Yuugi apparently took his silence the wrong way, for she quickly backtracked.

"Ah, well unless you're not interested anymore then-"

"I'll wait." Yami cut her off quickly. "For as long as it takes, I'll wait for your answer."

There was no way in hell he would even _not_ be interested. The hope alone had caused so much warm and happiness that his body felt light, giddy at the thought of Yuugi actually considering him. He could feel himself smiling, the smile widening when he saw her blush. His ego roared at the thought he had caused that shade of pink to cross her features.

He went through school that day feeling better than he had all week, the ache behind his eyes completely disappearing.

* * *

 _(Chapters 35-36)_

"Yuugi is on a date."

Yami paused, giving Marik frown.

"Please stop joking around with me." Said Yami, stapling his English paper together. He placed it inside his binder, ignoring his adopted brother who had decided to barge into his room without knocking. Again.

Marik let out a scoff of frustration, walking through Yami's room like a hurricane. The man was unusually agitated, stomping as he paced around the room. "I'm not lying. I ran into her on a date, and guess who she was with? Ryuji! If all people."

"I'm not in the mood for your jokes tonight Marik." Said Yami, taking out his math workbook. "Please get out."

"I'm not lying." Said Marik. "Honest! Would I ever lie to you?"

Yami let out a sign, spinning his desk chair around and giving Marik a level glare.

"Last week, you told me we had PE outside, which made me so late for class it counted as an absence."

"You knew I was joking though." Said Marik. "Since when do we have PE outside?"

"Yesterday, you told me that my mother made an appointment for an arranged marriage meeting."

"That was-"

"And then! And then just five hours ago you told me that Yuugi was pregnant. So please, tell me why I should believe you when you are telling such a ridiculous lies?"

"Because this time I'm not!" said Marik, almost ripping his hair out in frustration. "I actually saw them. They were on a date, and they were hugging. Intimately! It's obvious she's playing with you."

"If you need help with your math homework, all you had to do was ask." said Yami, holding out his hand. "Come, let me see it."

"That's not it!" growled Marik.

"So you don't need help with it?"

"No! I do, but that's not the point."

"Then hurry up and get to it." Said Yami. "I want to finish all of this before the party tomorrow."

Just thinking about tomorrow made him want to groan. His parents were sure to set up another blind date with some wealthy businessman's daughter or something. Thank goodness his parents honored his request to never repeat dates. Shouldn't he have gone through all of the single women his age by now?

Marik leaned his forearms on the desk, nearly toppling Yami's pencil case in the process. "Just pretend, for one second you stubborn ass, that I'm not lying, and Yuugi really is on a date with Ryuji. What then?"

"What then?"

Yami decided to indulge Marik, mulling the idea in his head. Immediately his insides churned. Yuugi, on a date with another man? And just after she had promised him one? Yami shook his head, ridding him of the negative thoughts. Yuugi said she would consider his confession, that much was already more than he could have ever hoped for.

"Yuugi is not my girlfriend." Said Yami. "If she is indeed on a date, it is not my business to interfere. She is free to do as she wishes."

A snort left Marik. "You can't fool me. I know you're pissed. I would be too, especially if she's on a date with that punk Ryuji. Is she trying to backstab you in every way possible? I can't think of anyone worse for her to be on a date with."

"You've said your piece, now get out." Said Yami, returning to his homework and shooing him with a hand.

"Fine, ignore my warnings. Don't blame me if she gets stolen away."

Marik finally left, nearly slamming the door on the way out.

Ever the dramatic one, Marik just couldn't be in a room without causing chaos. Yami tapped the pen against his desk, thinking. How would Yuugi have met Ryuji in the first place? He doubted she would have agreed to a date with a random person that hit on her. Hopefully she was smarter than that to be wary of strangers, especially now that she was a girl. Did that mean someone else had set this up? But who would have set her up with someone that hated Yami?

An hour later, Yami gave up trying to complete his homework, unable to concentrate enough to complete a single problem.

* * *

"You can't be serious." Said Yami

"I told you your mother set up a marriage meeting for you." Said Marik. "But did you believe me? No, you didn't."

"That's because you _were_ making it up." Said Yami. "It just so happened that your lie became truth."

Not ten minutes ago, his mother had called Yami downstairs with the news that she had set up a marriage meeting for him to attend. He was immediately irritated, still in a bad mood from Marik's lie earlier.

His mother, who was standing in front of his, pursed her lips in irritation.

"You will be polite tomorrow Yami." She said, the red eyes he had inherited boring into his. "Yue is related to the Thailand royal family. If enough people died, she could become the next queen."

"If enough people died, I could be the prime minister." Said Marik lazily.

Yami's mother turned her attention to him. "And you will stay away from the meeting." She snapped. "I have arranged for your father to take you out tomorrow. I don't want your usual shenanigans messing this up."

"Uncle Sennen is taking me out?" said Marik, grinning. "Now that's going to be fun."

Yami inwardly prayed that Marik didn't do anything too stupid. His father had a habit of demanding more out of Yami when he was in a bad mood.

"He's your _father_ now, not your uncle." Said Mrs Sennen, stressing the word. "And don't purposefully aggravate him. I want you both on your best behavior."

Marik opened his mouth to answer, but Yami smacked his hand over Marik's mouth to stop him from talking. This would take all night if he let the two of them go at it.

"Mother, I have no interest in this marriage meeting." Said Yami. "You know that I have someone I care about."

"But they have yet to return your affections, am I correct?" said his mother. "So you are not currently bound to anyone. Until you have a significant other that I approve of, you will go to this meeting and you will be polite."

By someone she approved of, she meant someone other than a man. He hadn't told her that the object of his affections had emerged into a female. He had no desire to set new standards on Yuugi to fulfill. At the moment, all his mother wanted was for him to have a female significant other and he planned to keep it that way for as long as possible. Marik had wisely kept quiet about Yuugi emerging, something Yami thanked the lucky stars for every day.

"I understand." Said Yami. He had learned a long time ago to just go along with these meetings, letting the girl know he wasn't interested from the get go. Sometimes it worked, and sometimes it encouraged them. Hopefully Yue was not the latter.

"Excellent." Said his mother, smiling at him. "She will arrive tomorrow at 10:00am sharp. You will take her for a stroll in the garden and enjoy a lunch out in the sun. Then the two of you will determine where you wish to go next based on a list of approved activities. She will then leave at 5:00, returning around 8:00 to be escorted to the party that evening."

"Yes mam." Said Yami, his heart sinking. He had hoped to go see Yuugi tomorrow morning. "If you'll excuse me, I'd like to go to bed early tonight." He felt tired from everything.

"Alright, then go to bed." She said, waving him away. "I'll have the maids wake you up early to prepare."

Yami trudged away, Marik slinking beside him as he made his way to his room. He leaned over to Yami.

"Now do you believe me when I say that Yuugi was on a date?"

Yami purposefully tripped Marik on the last step on the stairs.

* * *

"She was a nightmare." Said Yami, glowering at the floor as he paced around the room. "She had no respect for personal boundaries, didn't listen to anything I said and threw fits when she didn't get what she wanted. Who does that? I thought I was dealing with a five-year-old for most of the day."

"So I take it the marriage meeting didn't go well." said his mother, an amused smirk on her face. She was sitting on the love seat, enjoying her evening tea from her English china set in their sitting room. The woman had a fondness for foreign porcelain and made sure to take a different set out every day during her evening relaxation.

Yami let out a sigh, dipping his head.

"Mother, that woman is a menace to society. I doubt you or father would approve of her even if she was the heir to the throne."

"I've always respected your opinion when it came to these marriage meeting." She said, setting down her china and lacing her fingers together as she gazed at Yami. "Choosing your future wife is not something to be taken lightly, and there's no problem being picky. In fact, I'd be disappointed in you if you weren't."

"Mom, you do realize I'm still 17. I'm not even legally of age to be married yet." Said Yami. "I don't understand why you insist in all of these marriage interviews and dates."

"There is no harm in starting early." she said. "I believe it is wiser to start a relationship as soon as possible to build trust and understanding before you are joined. But you have to understand Yami, you will have to choose someone someday. You will not find someone that meets every criterion so there will be things you'll have to compromise on."

It was a good argument, one Yami might have listened to if it wasn't for Yuugi. The girl was perfect in Yami's eyes, at least for him. Yuugi had leveled him out as a person in a way no one else had been able to. He felt at home in her presence, desired to be a better person just by her example alone. The only problem was, could Yuugi see him in that way? Hopefully he'd be able to convince her during their date. He needed to start planning it soon.

"You're thinking of that boy again aren't you?"

His mother's voice interrupted his thoughts. She was staring at him, brows drawn together.

"I have stayed out of your friendship with the boy out of respect for your privacy." She said. "I've even resisted investigating who they are, but Yami, if your crush on this boy does not go away soon, I will have to do something about it."

"What!?"

Yami jumped to his feet, fear flooding his system. His heart began to thump painfully at the thought of what his mother could do to Yuugi.

"You can't, please mother don't hurt Yuugi."

"Yuugi?"

His mother raised an eyebrow at him. "You mean that boy you made friends with all those years ago. The two of you still talk?"

Yami bit his tongue, immediately realizing his mistake. Now that she knew for certain who it was he loved, she might do something against her. No way was Yami going to let it happen. He needed to be careful how he handled this situation. Perhaps if he made her realize how important Yuugi was to his happiness she would relent. He took a breath, hoping he was making the right gamble.

"Yuugi is my best friend. It's almost always his house I stay at when I sleep over at a friend's house."

His mother's expression turned sour, and he knew it had been a bad decision to give out that information. A quiet anger was starting to rise within her, and Yami knew he needed to remedy this.

"So instead of getting rid of this ridiculous crush, you've been encouraging it." She said.

"I've always kept it strictly platonic between me and him." Said Yami. "He had no idea that I even liked him until a week ago when he said he'd think about it."

His mother's eyes widened, obviously not expecting that answer. Yami kept going, hoping to convince his mother of Yuugi's importance to him.

"Yuugi makes me happy mother." He said. "All these years, my feelings for Yuugi haven't diminished in the slightest. Instead, he has become dear to me, more so than anyone else. You say you want what's best for me, but you don't approve of the person that makes me happiest."

His mother stayed silent, mulling over the information Yami had given her. It wasn't the first time he had argued about his feelings for Yuugi, but it was the first time she had been able to put a face to the person.

Eventually his mother spoke.

"How many times have we had this conversation about the differences between men and women in society?" she said. "Your position in the future will be much more difficult in situations where people look down on partnerships between men. You say he makes you happy, but will that happiness last against the people that don't agree with your choice of a partner? More than one happy marriage has fallen apart because one of the spouses could not take the pressure this type of life puts them under."

Yami didn't answer, unwilling to say that he would gladly dump his whole inheritance into the ocean if it meant that Yuugi would choose him.

"I'm sorry Yami." Said his mother. "But I will do everything in my power to keep you away from that fate. Even if Yuugi says yes, I will not allow you to date him."

"So if the person I liked was a woman, you wouldn't disapprove?" said Yami, unable to help himself.

"That's not what I'm saying." She said. "Girl or girl, they would have to meet my standards as a potential spouse for you Yami. I will not settle for anything less than what you and this company deserve."

"Of course." Sighed Yami, knowing this was a lost battle. "I'll do my best to find someone that can meet your unreasonable standards."

Yami started to trudge away before his mother called out to him.

"Yami." She said, then hesitated, grimacing at her son. "Try to curb your irritation and make it through tonight with Yue if possible. Her family is very influential, and I'd rather not start on bad terms with their family as we try to expand."

Yami nodded, indicating he had heard and grateful that she had allowed the topic of Yuugi to drop. Once in his room, he pulled out his phone as he got dressed for the evening party. The little mail icon indicating if he got a new message was not there. Yami tried to reign in his disappointment.

Yuugi hadn't called or texted him all day. She usually was the one that did first, and he couldn't help feeling anxious. What if Marik was right? What if she had gone on a date with Ryuji and the man had poisoned her against him? For the first time, he wished selfishly that he had cleared up that rumor with Ryuji.

It was time to stop hesitating. He pressed the 1 on speed dial, waiting for the characteristic ring of the phone as it tried to connect. Instead, all he got was a window telling him to insert a SIM card.

Yami stared at the message for a minute before it clicked.

Marik.

"That bastard!"

* * *

 _(Chapter 37)_

Yami saw her as soon as he entered the dining area. He could spot the back of that head anywhere in a crowd, even if it had changed, the long hair pulled up into an intricate half updo. The sight was both confusing and astonishing. Yuugi, dressed up and at Pegasus's party, looking every bit the woman she now was. Though he could only see the back of her head, his heart was hammering inside his chest in anticipation.

Then the rest of the background came into focus, that she was not alone, and siting right beside Ryuji.

Immediately his heart flared up in confusion and in panic, wondering why she was sitting with him. He hadn't told her about this party, so she couldn't be here to see him. What other reason would she have to be here and sitting with Ryuji at this party? Had she truly gone on a date with Ryuji like Marik had said? Was she now dating him?

That's when the anger came. The irrational desire and yearning to march over there and take her away from that table. To shove her away from Ryuji and declare that she was his. His feet moved in the direction, suddenly brought to a halt by something holding him back.

"Yami, where are you going?" said Yue, the woman latched onto his arm. "I want you to introduce me to your parents tonight."

Yami looked at her, her appearance not helping his irritation. Here he was, stuck with this leach while his Yuugi was being wooed by another man.

 _Except, that she isn't mine._

The irritation dimmed, fizzling out and leaving him feeling tired. He took an internal breath, quieting his frantic mind. No, Yuugi was not his. She was free to date who she wished. There might even be another explanation for why she was here with him. If he knew Yuugi, and he did, she never would do something so insensitive, not without a reason at least. She had promised to think about his confession and give him an answer. Until then, he would wait just as he promised and put his trust in her. Because that was the type of person he had fallen in love with.

"Then let us go." Said Yami to Yue. "Our table is over here towards the side."

He walked Yue to the table where his parents sat, but not without first glancing in Yuugi's direction. Just before he turned fully, he saw her head whip away from him, as if she had seen him turning and looked away. He smirked. So she knew he was here. The question was, why did she look away from him?

He kept his eyes for the next several minutes, careful to appear that he was paying attention as Yue talked to his parents at the dinner table. So he saw when she got into an argument with the other three at the table. He saw when something she said caused Ryuji to falter before standing up and leaving the table. He saw when she stood up with the intention to follow, hesitating when their eyes locked. He saw her swallow before mouthing at him

 _Be right back._

That was when he heart completely calmed. If she had done something she felt ashamed of, she wouldn't have been able to look him in the eye and say that. His trust in her was not a vain one, though he still didn't know what was going on.

He nodded and watched, waiting a minuet before standing up to follow her out into the hall. He was not going to sit here another minute wondering why she was here without telling him.

Again, he was stopped by the brat that couldn't take a hint.

"Yami, where are you going?" she asked.

"Bathroom." He lied smoothly, wriggling out of her grasp and leaving. Hopefully he wouldn't have to come back. He'd warned his parents that he might ditch, and despite their promise that there would be consequences, he planned to do just that.

* * *

 _(Chapter 39-40)_

"Yami." Said Yuugi slowly. "What is going on? With you and Ryuji's sister, and what did Marik mean by taking advantage of your kindness?"

He should have seen this coming. He should have realized this was why Yuugi was here with Ryuji. After all, she didn't judge others because of what was said by them, but by what she saw and judged for herself. Even then, she tended to only see the good.

He didn't want to answer her question. He was ashamed of his decisions during that time. But she asked for an answer and he would give it to her, because she deserved to know if he wanted to be something special to her.

He let out a breath before jumping on the marble counter and siting on it. He held out a hand to her, which she took, as he helped her sit next to him.

"It's a long story." He said. "You want the long version or the short version?"

"I want what you're comfortable telling me."

He felt his heart constrict at her words, grateful for her understanding. His hand had moved unconsciously, reaching for her own in the desire to take hold of it and anchor himself to her. Right before he did, he regained control of himself, changing the direction of his hands to come rest on his lap.

Yuugi was still watching him, lavender eyes bright and expectant, the trust and concern shining openly within them. The expressive eyes - now lined with makeup - that he had come to rely on so heavily without her realizing were watching, waiting.

So he told her. He gave her what she wanted to know, the story of how the fiasco had all happened.

Yami closed his eyes, his clasped hands squeezing together hard.

"I should have told them." Said Yami quietly. "I wanted to believe in her… A month later, she came to me, telling me she was three weeks pregnant with Keith's child."

He could see it clearly. Her face, whiter than usual as she told him he had been right, pleading with him as if he could somehow tell her it was all a bad joke. His heart hurt at remembering the sight, the pain in his hands staring to ache.

"It's not your fault." He heard Yuugi say. "She made her choice. You can't be blamed."

"Oh, but I can." Said Yami, turning to face Yuugi on the counter. His voice slowly rose until he was almost shouting. "I knew what he was like, and I knew her disposition. I knew she didn't realize the sort of man she was dealing with." He balled his hands into fists, slamming one into the counter with a clatter. Self-loathing was burning behind his eyes, filling with emotion. "I should have told her family. I should have told Ryuji so he could keep an eye on her. She was barely sixteen years old…"

That night had been the worst. The one where he had come to check on her as had become his habit. The door had been open, the house eerily quiet. Then he had found her, in the bathroom, unconscious with droplets of blood trailing down her wrist and arms.

Yami was jolted out of his thoughts by a hard blow on the head. He almost fell off the counter, so shocked that he all but gaped at Yuugi, who was now glaring at him, body riled up in indignation.

"Stop that!" she said. "If I know you at all Yami, you made it very clear to her the risks she presented by getting close to Keith. Sure, maybe you should have told her family, but it's still not your fault. She made her choice."

Yami gave her a hard look. "But I should have-"

"No!" said Yuugi firmly. "It's not your fault." Her voice left no room for argument.

Yami stared at her for a few seconds, brows draw together. Then what she said to him finally registered. The words he had always wanted to hear, that Ryuji's sister had told him time and time again, finally clicked. The dark clouds parted, bathing Yami in a warmth that almost overwhelmed him. Yuugi was standing firm against his own self-hatred, defending his actions with such fervor he felt his heart squeeze in gratitude all over again. He had been seeking forgiveness all this time for his actions, not realizing that that time was already long passed. That it wasn't his fault, and that he should move on from the pain and stop letting it drag him down.

He relaxed, the crease between his eyes slowly dispersing as she wished for nothing else but to express his gratitude to her. He brought one hand up, rubbing his forehead.

"I haven't even told Marik that part of the story." Muttered Yami. "I was too ashamed of my decision…Thank you Yuugi."

One day he would tell her just how much her comfort had meant to him. That it had saved him from a weight that had been dragging him down. For now, he simply kept his hand over his face, hiding the soft smile that had blossomed across it. Just how many times was she going to make him fall for her all over again?

* * *

 _(Chapter 41-42)_

"Wow Yami, I forgot you had such a nice car."

Yami couldn't help chuckling, still basking in the happiness her confession had brought him. Yuugi was now his. Finally, after all these years of thinking it could never happen, he had attained what his heart had desired. He watched as his new girlfriend examined his car, soft curls falling on her collar bone as she bent forward and looked at the car.

He couldn't help admiring the effect of her outfit for a moment, noting the way her dress hugged her form just right, accentuating the slender subtle curves of her body. The makeup was light and managed to highlight her soft cheeks and stunning eyes. He knew Yuugi was beautiful, but he hadn't anticipated how stunning she could be when she went all out. Then again, he was looking through a rose colored glass.

"Still feels odd though." She said. "I don't think I'll ever get used to the shiny things you have."

"One day you will." He said with confidence, grabbing the handle and opening the door for her. "Hop on in. I don't want to stay here for another second."

"Well look at you." Yuugi teased, a gleam in her eyes. "Opening the door for me all gentlemen like. We have here true chivalry in action. I thought you weren't going to treat me like a girl."

"And I promise I won't." said Yami, folding his arms on the frame of the door and leaning his head against it. He smiled at Yuugi, happy to finally express what he felt. "Boy for Girl, I plan to cherish and treat you properly. I can't help it if you bring out that desire in me."

Her face turned pink, the girl muttering something about smooth talking before meekly getting in the car. Yami tried not to laugh at her. This was certainly a new side of Yuugi, one he was going to thoroughly enjoy.

As they drove to her house, Yuugi taking over his radio and talking excitedly about a new game gramps had gotten, Yami quietly pondered what she had asked of him. To take this relationship slow.

He glanced at Yuugi, who caught his eye and smiled back at him. Her new feelings were still developing, completely opposite to his that were solid and immovable. He just wondered how long he could last before he spilled just how much in love with her he was. Hopefully long enough that she wouldn't run away when she found out.

 _Looks like I'm not quite done holding back_ he thought

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **And thank you most kindly to my reviewers! Deji princess, SkyNakama27, Money100, Guest, Mistoka, Hiei Dragon Girl, Lily D. Cave, KisaraTheDragonCharm , justsomeone, whitlaw123, Madolche Anjelly, ForeverWildfire2.0. You guys make writing this a true delight, which is why it is updated so quickly on a (almost) regular basis.**

 **Once again, what was your favorite chapter? What surprised you? Hopefully the thing with Ryuji's sister wasn't too dark, but I knew that was what Yami was remembering from the beginning. Look forward to the next Yami chapters. Like with these, you'll be seeing a lot more background stuff happening. We will have to wait just a little longer to see what happened with Ryou. Ciao!**


	61. Chapter 61: Yami Extra

**Yami extra Chapters Part 2!**

* * *

 _(Chapter 43)_

It wasn't that Yami had any real animosity towards Ryuji, but having the man show up at Yuugi's door step the morning after she had become his girlfriend did not help his mood. Especially since Ryuji had managed to take Yuugi's first two dates as an emerged female. He was definitely not bitter. Not one bit.

At much as it was annoying, it was also nice to clear up the air between them. It was a good thing he had Yuugi there to soften the awkward apologies. Yami had long since given up ever renewing his friendship with Ryuji after everything that happened with his sister, this opportunity only possible because of everyone's interference as well as his selfish desire to have Yuugi see him in a better light. Not that Yami'd ever thank Marik for the crap he had caused.

When Yuugi ran upstairs to grab her homework, he felt the awkwardness settle in heavily as her bright presence left. Ryuji felt it as well, shifting in his seat for a second before standing up.

"I guess I'll go then." He said. "Wouldn't want to interrupt the two of you now that you're a proper couple."

Yami didn't answer, instead standing up and following Ryuji to the door. He opened it, and the man hesitated before turning back to Yami.

"Really, thank you for all you did for my sister." He said, the haunted look returning to his face. "She told me everything. I honestly don't think she'd be alive if it wasn't for you. So if you ever need anything, please, let me know. I'll do my best to return the debt I owe you."

"You don't owe me anything Otogi." Said Yami, folding his arms. "What I did was to appease my own conscious, not yours. Though, if you really do want to do something, stay away from making anymore moves on my girlfriend."

Ryuji blinked, then chuckled. "I believe you already told me that."

"Hopefully it will drive home the importance of my request."

"Oh believe me." Said Ryuji, eye sparkling in mischief. "I could have figured that out just by looking at you. I've never seen you once riled up about anything. It was kind of frustrating how cool and composed you always were when all the crap was happening, but the second you saw Yuugi was hurt, I seriously thought you were going to murder your own brother." He shook his head. "I guess Yuugi is the only one that can bring that side out of you. She's really important to you isn't she?"

Yami didn't say anything. Ryuji took his silence for an answer, nodding in goodbye before leaving.

* * *

Yami handed Yue the letter, unable to stop himself from grinning. His mother's idea of a punishment had been for him to deliver Yue a letter of apology for leaving her at the party. Apparently the woman had complained loudly to her about it.

"Here." said Yami. "I offer my deepest regret at my behavior. Please allow me to express my apologies."

The woman took it, flipping it in her hands before smirking.

"It will take more than a letter and fancy words to satisfy me." she scoffed, waving the letter like it was a fan.

"I think those words will more then satisfy you." said Yami, quickly giving a short bow. "If you'll excuse me."

Yami sprinted away, not wanting to be there when she opened the letter. Marik had helped him write it after all.

* * *

 _(Chapter 47)_

Yuugi was squeezing his hand. Hard.

Yami took his eyes away from the game their friends were playing, instead looking at Yuugi. She was staring at him, not really seeing him, her face intense and becoming red.

Concerned, Yami placed a hand to her head and she jumped at the sudden contact.

"Yami! What?" she sputtered.

"You were squeezing my hand really hard." Said Yami, concern lacing his voice. "And you're still really red. Did you get sick from running in this cold?"

If Yami knew her, he thought she looked a cross between panicked and guilty. Then it became more firm as she pouted.

"I'm fine." Said Yuugi, a sharp edge to her voice. He didn't flinch, but he did raise an eyebrow at her. Yuugi seemed to realize her tone and quickly corrected herself. "I'm mean… I guess I'm a little tired."

 _Bull_

"What's troubling you Yuugi?" He asked.

"It's… nothing." She said with a sigh. "Just thinking about stuff is all."

She turned her attention to their friends on field. Yami kept an eye on her, worried. What had caused Yuugi to become so flustered? She only lashed out like that when she was angry or horribly embarrassed.

 _Wouldn't it be interesting if she was thinking about kissing you?_ Said a voice in his head.

Yami immediately pushed the thought aside. There was no way Yuugi would want to kiss him yet. Though… she had been looking at his lips.

And now his eyes were on her lips, wanting to lean forward and claim them. He had been wanting to for years now, their relationship just making the desire grow each day.

 _Slow Yami._ He told himself. _She said to go slowly._

Yami was glad Yuugi suggested they start playing with the group again. He had almost listened to the little devil on his shoulder several times.

* * *

 _(Between Chapter 47-48)_

He stared at the paper on his desk, the red 82 haunting him and making him scowl in annoyance. Maybe if he kept looking at it he could will it to magically change to an A. He covered it with his hand, peaking at it between his fingers to see if it changed. Nope. Still a B

This was not good.

It was the third B he had received in history. A few more and it would lower his average and he would no longer be in the top spot. Then his parents would have an excuse to pull him out of school and hire a tutor.

These last few weeks being with Yuugi had been true bliss. Every moment was amazing, spending every second he could with her. Maybe in other relationships the constant presence would be annoying after a while, but Yuugi didn't seem to tire of him, and he could never tire of her.

Unfortunately, this was the result in such indulgence. His grades were suffering, just as Yuugi had cautioned him against.

It was one of those rare days that Yami had gone home instead of going and staying with Yuugi, this grade being the reason why. He pulled out his history book, his heart sinking as he began to study. He couldn't afford to let his grades drop, which meant something had to give. In order to stay with Yuugi at school, he was going to have to monitor the time he spent with her. He would have to talk to her about it. Maybe they would even need to take a small break for him to catch up.

Halfway through the chapter, his phone rang. He ignored it, the ring tone indicating it was not Yuugi and he kept studying. It went silent eventually. Then it rang again. The caller tried three times before Yami finally got annoyed, answering the phone the fourth time it rang.

"What?" said Yami.

 _"_ _We need to talk."_

"About what Kaiba?" asked Yami. "Don't tell me you and Jou still haven't made up? I told you, you made your bed, now you have to sleep in it."

 _"_ _I'm glad you support Yuugi's idea of friendship and helping each other out."_ Said Kaiba sarcastically. _"I'm not calling about that. I just ran into your father and found something out. He knows."_

"Knows what?" said Yami.

 _"_ _About Yuugi. About everything."_

Yami's body turned cold. "And what does that include?"

 _"_ _That you're in a relationship with her, that you've stopped accepting dates with girls because of her, that Yuugi is a_ _her_ _in the first place, where she lives, what her grandpa does for a living. When I say everything, I mean everything. And Yami? He's not happy."_

Yami clenched his fists, the muscles screaming at the protest. He couldn't release them, his body not listening as panic surged through him.

"What do you suggest I do?" he said, thankful his voice was steadier than his shaking hands.

 _"_ _You man up is what you do."_ Said Kaiba. " _If you truly love that midget then you'll square your shoulders and meet them head on. You're a Sennen Yami, and Sennen's don't hesitate when they want something."_

"Neither do Kaiba's." said Yami with a smile. It helped. His body finally allowed him to relax, his hands no longer trembling. "Thanks Seto."

 _"_ _You owe me one."_ Said Kaiba.

"No I don't. I helped you with your fight with Jounouchi."

 _"_ _Then consider us even."_

Kaiba hung up without warning. Yami pulled the phone away from his ear, unable to resist shaking his head in exasperation. Trust Seto to give the most direct and unemotional advice than anyone else. It was what Yami needed though. He squared his shoulders, heading downstairs to talk to his parents.

* * *

 _(Chapter 50)_

Yami couldn't help frowning when he saw the letters in Yuugi's locker. Yuugi didn't seem too pleased either as she threw them with a little more force than usual into the trash.

"Those letters starting up again?" he asked her. "Want me to do something about it?"

"Don't worry about it." Said Yuugi. "They'll get over it eventually."

"But they're upsetting you."

"Not really." Said Yuugi, smiling at him.

A fake smile didn't suite her. He knew she was just trying to not worry him but he saw the way she looked at those letters as she pulled them from her locker and he heard what people were saying, both around them and to her.

She had told him not to worry. Which of course he did. It just wasn't possible for him not to worry. The sight of Yuugi's smile faltering wasn't something he could forget easily.

Before lunch, Yami sidled up to the last person he would have ever expected to ask for help from. Said person was leaning back against the wall, grinding something between his teeth.

"You missed a few letters." Said Yami.

"I know." Spat Ushio. "Some girls came by and started getting suspicious why I was around there. They've seen be bully Yuugi too much in the past and I didn't want to risk it."

Yami signed, running a hand through his hair. There wasn't much they could do about that. They did their best to stem the flow of bullying Yuugi was experiencing till it died out. At least, He hoped it would. This spat was different from what she had experienced before. Instead of men beating Yuugi up, she had girls using completely different means of fighting, such as gossip and group shaming.

"What about this morning?" asked Yami. "Was it clear?"

"Yeah, it was clear." Said Ushio. "Yuugi didn't see me, and I didn't see anyone."

"Good." Said Yami. "Make sure to let me know if that person shows up again."

Ushio gave a large grin, "Don't worry. Me and my guys can take care of everything."

This strange arrangement between them had started last week. A few days after Yuugi had stopped going home with Yami, someone had planned to ambush her. He said planned, because they were stopped by Ushio, who happened to pass by and hear about the ploy. Apparently some chick had been telling a group of thugs to scare Yuugi into dumping Yami.

Ushio and his friends had overheard it, easily scaring the group of men away with his sheer size. He'd told Yami about it, who had come over and confirmed the story from the girl herself, who had admitted to the plot. She'd also dissolved into tears and promised never to do it again after getting a good look at Yami's and Ushio's pissed off faces. Since then, the two of them had been protecting Yuugi from the backgrounds without her noticing.

"Here." Said Yami, pulling out a stack of cash and handing it out to Ushio. The former bully batted it away.

"Don't I always decline that?" said Ushio.

"Yes, but I want to offer it just the same." Said Yami. "I am asking a great deal from you."

"I don't want it." Said Ushio, the anti-social man starting to stomp away. Before he got far, Yami couldn't help asking a question that had been itching at him for a while.

"Why are you helping me?" he asked.

Ushio stopped, glancing over his shoulder at Yami.

"You hated Yuugi, tormented her, hurt her for years." continued Yami. "Why the change of heart? Why tell me about the ploy? You can't change so easily just because she's a girl now."

Ushio shrugged his shoulder. "Who knows. After she became a girl, I guess I finally saw her as a human. Realized what I've been doing for all these years."

"That's surprisingly human of you Ushio."

"The pipsqueak seems to have that effect on people." He said, sneering at Yami. "She's tamed you, is it so hard to think that she's managed the same with me?"

"Tamed?" said Yami, his expression darkening.

Ushio let out a dark chuckle. "Come on Yami, me and you both know that you would never have forgiven me if it wasn't for Yuugi. All those years and you only came after me once."

Ushio rubbed his ribs, as if his body remembered the incident. Which they probably did. Yami had fractured three of his ribs after all, and he'd been holding back because Yuugi begged him to stop.

"She's had you wrapped around her little finger for years." Said Ushio, sticking up his pinky at him. "I always thought it was strange. Now I know it's 'cause you loved her, even as a dude."

"You didn't answer the question." Said Yami.

"I owe Yuugi for all the years I hurt her." Said Ushio. "Simple as that."

Yami decided to let it go, turning to leave in the opposite direction. As long as Ushio didn't plan on hurting Yuugi, he was going to continue to use him. Yami could tell that Ushio was sincere. Yuugi really did have the ability to change people simply by expecting the best in them.

He spotted her a second later, face lighting up as he approached. She was already siting at the lunch table, waving him over. Yami walked to her, wondering what she was up to. Then he noticed that she pulled out a second bento box.

"Here, I made you some lunch today." Said Yuugi, grinning as she handed it to him.

Yami's heart softened, taking the lunch and opening it to find stir fry, an already sliced apple and a cookie for desert. He couldn't help laughing at her.

"What?" said Yuugi, confused.

"I'm sorry." He said. "It's just, so cliché to be happy about my girlfriend making me lunch I couldn't help it."

"Well excuse me for being cliché." Said Yuugi, reaching for the box "I can take it back if you don't want it. I'm sure Jou would love some extra food."

"Not a good idea Yuugi." Said Yami, holding the box away from her. "I might accidentally murder him for eating the food you made for me."

"Now that would be cliché."

"What brought this on?" said Yami, finally able to eat his food safely. As much as he would like her to, she usually didn't make lunch for him. Yuugi shrugged.

"You've been worried lately." She said, pulling out her own utensils. "I thought the food could help."

And that was the problem with them right now. He couldn't tell her about what he had to decide on, not without being completely unfair to her. And then she herself had her own problem. He wanted so desperately for Yuugi to talk to him about what was bothering her, but she refused to budge, no matter how many times he tried to get it out of her. He would have suspected that she was just bothered by the notes and whispers, but there was obviously something else to it. He would just have to wait until she told him.

The gesture though, had renewed his wish to lean towards a certain decision. She somehow kept managing to flare in him the desire to be with her, to touch her and never leave her side. Yami found himself moving towards her, his hands reaching to take her own. His eyes flickered to her lips, wanting to taste them, to kiss her right there. The urge was getting stronger every day.

Then she glanced at him, and he immediately recoiled, feeling like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

 _Slow Yami! Slow!_

It was quickly becoming his internal mantra.

He quickly gave a little cough before smiling at her

"Thank you." He said. "You really do spoil me."

Yuugi's smile widened. "I believe it's the other way around Yami."

* * *

 _(Chapter 55)_

Yami shoved the bathroom door open with a bang, crashing in front of a sink and turning on the faucet. He threw the water onto his face, trying to cool his overheated body. It didn't help. Yami took a few deep breathes, water dripping down his face as he clenched the lip of the sink.

That had been both a brilliant and a very stupid idea.

The second Yuugi had started dancing, his common sense had flown out the window as he watched her hips and body sway with the music. The dance was different than any she had done before. It had been seductive, intimate and directed solely at him.

Instantly he had forgotten about the people, about their friends, and about her request to go slow. All he had felt was a burning desire, fueled by the music, and the proximity of a very appealing woman dancing in front of him. He'd pulled her closer, feeling the heat of her body, holding her in a way he had only dreamed of.

Then her hands had started to wonder, and he'd lost it. Her lips had been so close, the places where she had touched him still hot from before…

Yami's grip intensified, his own teeth clenching as he concentrated on making sure he didn't trigger a certain reaction.

 _Flying monkeys. Kaiba's ugly face. Vivian scarfing down plates of food while trying to smile seductively at me. Ugh, that was just gross._

The internal images did their job, making him want to gag. The burning slowly died, fading back to its original embers. He now had full control.

Yami relinquished his death grip on the sink, checking his reflection in the mirror to make sure he appeared calm. Good, the desire was gone from his face. Now it was time to find Yuugi and-

 _IDIOT!_

Yami rushed out of the bathroom, berating himself again and again. He had just left Yuugi. Alone. In a night club. Without telling her when he'd be back. That was probably the only thing he could have done that was stupider than trying to kiss her. He quickly searched the area, spotting the back of her head immediately. She was sitting with Marik, but there was someone else there, standing a little too close to his girlfriend. Yami let out a low growl in his throat.

As Yami walked up, he recognized the man as Malik. He appeared to be arguing with Marik, who had spotted Yami and leaned back in his seat as he grinned.

"I wouldn't sit so close you Yuugi if I were you." he said.

"I'll do whatever the hell I want." said Mal.

"Oh really now?" said Yami

The other two whipped their head at Yami. Yuugi appeared surprised, a mixture a fear and relief in her expression. Why would she be sacred of him? Was she that upset that he had almost kissed her?

"You!" said Mal, talking to Yami as he pointed at Marik, obviously seething. "Keep this idiot away from me. He's your adopted brother. Do something about him."

Marik cackled as Mal pointedly ignored him. Yami continued to examine Yuugi, trying to determine if she was angry at him. He couldn't tell. He sighed before turning to face Marik and his crush. He'd have to talk to Yuugi later. He couldn't keep holding back like this or else he'd snap one day and hurt her.

They argued for a moment, glossing over the question of how Malik somehow knew Yuugi. A second later he was stunned by what Mal said.

"You wanted my opinion Yuugi? If Yami's your boyfriend, dump him. He's totally using you."

Yami's eyes widened. Fear immediately surged through him. He couldn't stop his heart from panicking, dreading the worst. Did Yuugi want to break up with him?

"Oh? Did you hear that Pharaoh?" said Marik, interrupting his thoughts. "The squirt's getting cold feet. You'd better woo her again before she finds a new sugar daddy to pamper her."

"That's not-" sputtered Yuugi. "I'm not getting cold feet!"

Her stuttering denial didn't help Yami's heart.

"Well you should." said Mal, his comments not helping at all. "Apparently he knocked up some chick a few years ago, ruining the family then throwing her away. Then he has a new bitch on his arm every other week, parading her around society as-"

Marik stood up so quickly his chair fell to the ground. He stalked over the Mal, irritation evident. Yami quickly grabbed Yuugi, forcing her behind him to act as her shield in case it grew crazy. He had done it on instinct, not even thinking before immediately protecting her. His fear of her getting hurt overwhelmed everything else.

"You may have a pretty face." Said Marik, his own close to Mal's. "But that doesn't mean I won't smash it if you don't stop talking shit."

"I'm just telling Yuugi what I've heard and seen." said Mal, not even flinching. "I don't even know you or Yami."

"Marik." Said Yami, his voice calm. "That's enough." While he appreciated his brother standing up for him, he didn't want to start a fight.

The two continued to glare at each other, neither budging. Then Yuugi pushed herself from Yami's arms and ran to the two.

"What about this!" said Yuugi, smacking her hands on the table. The sound brought everyone's attention to her.

"I promised to introduce you to my friends Mal." Said Yuugi, grabbing Mal's arm. She wrenched him to his feet, knocking Marik out of the way in the process. "You've met Yami and Marik, but you need to meet the rest of the gang."

Yuugi then pulled Mal away, Yami watched, his hopes sinking. He shouldn't jump to conclusions, but he couldn't help feeling disheartened when he considered how quickly she had wanted to get away from him.

* * *

 _(Chapter 57)_

"Yami, we need to talk."

It was a good thing she was looking down at their hands. If she hadn't been, she would have seen the unease and fear on Yami's face. Her tone frightened him, thinking about what Mal had said. He hadn't been able to get it out of his head since and only managed to calm himself right before she turned to look at him.

"What is it?" he said.

Yuugi grimaced, glancing around uneasily around the room. He understood the reason behind that expression at least.

"Let's not talk here." Said Yami, "It's too noisy. They have a balcony upstairs most people don't know about. We can talk there."

"Aright."

He smiled at her, squeezing her hand as he led her through the room and up the stairs to the balcony. As soon as they hit the air, Yuugi ran to the railing, leaning out to look at the scenes below her. He couldn't help a smiling. It was adorable how much energy and childlike wonder she managed to have, face alight in interest as she looked around. It was a uniqueness about Yuugi he appreciated and relied on.

"Don't lean too far over." Said Yami, walking over to stand beside her. "These rails aren't the safest."

Yuugi leaned back, now taking the time to look at Yami. He returned the look as she examined him. He could see her better now, watch as the wind played softly with her blonde bangs, framing her round cheeks. Her eyes were intent on him, a question in them. Despite his mistake from earlier, he again felt the desire to close the distance between them. Didn't he ever learn?

"Why didn't you kiss me?" said Yuugi,

Yami's eye widened, then he felt his cheeks heat up. He hadn't expected that question, and couldn't help feeling both foolish and sheepish, especially since he had been contemplating it again. Talk about being unable to control himself.

He cleared his throat, trying to cool his red cheeks.

"You're talking about on the dance floor." He said.

She nodded.

Yami grimaced, rubbing the back of his neck, embarrassed.

"Well, you requested that we take it slow. I didn't want to push you if you weren't ready for that step."

Yuugi opened her mouth to speak, then left it there. Just when Yami was starting to get concerned, she shouted at him.

"Idiot! What did I say about being more honest with yourself?"

"Excuse me, but you also told me you wanted to take it slow." he said. "Those two cannot happen together."

 _Not even remotely._ he thought.

"I… guess I did." Said Yuugi. "But still, walking away like that did not help. I thought you weren't interested in kissing me at all."

"You thought I…" Yami trailed off, closing his eyes as he rubbed his temples. Of course! That was why she was so hesitant and scared of him. Because she was confused and probably hurt. He had sent her such mixed signals, drawing her closer and then pushing her away.

"Stupid." He said to himself.

"Hey!" said Yuugi.

"Not you, me." Said Yami, opening his eyes. "I obviously haven't been making you feel cared for have I?"

"That's not true." She protested. "You've always been a great friend and we've always taken care of each other. Well, besides walking away in the middle of the dance floor and confusing me, but hey! It's not like it's your job or anything to make me feel cared for."

It was nice that she was trying to defend him, even though it _was_ his fault.

"Actually, I think it is." He said, taking her hand. He looked at it, lightly rubbing his fingers along her palm. He couldn't help feeling sad, unsatisfied with how he had handled this situation. He should be instilling confidence in her, not confusion. "When I asked you to become my girlfriend, I promised to make you happy. Instead, it sounds like I've managed to confuse you."

"That's not true." Yuugi repeated, also looking at their joining hands. "You have made me happy. Crazy happy actually. It's just..."

She trailed off, still staring at their hands, a slight frown creased her brow. His heart was starting to beat faster, giddy at the declaration that he _had_ managed to make her happy. But he could tell she was thinking of something unpleasant. Something that was hard for her to think about. He waited, patient, hopeful that he would finally hear what has hurting her. What was making her uneasy.

"It's just that I'm an idiot." Sighed Yuugi. "I have a confession to make."

Yuugi pulled her hand back, wringing them silently in front of her as her eyes looked everywhere but at him.

"You know how people have started bullying me more since I started dating you?" she said. "I said that it wasn't bugging me, but it is. A lot actually."

Yami had known that, but to hear her admit it spoke volumes of how badly it had affected her. He couldn't help his jaw clenching in irritation at those that had caused her to be uneasy, including himself. She glanced at him, then her eyes stuck.

"Yuugi." Said Yami calmly, though he felt anything but that. "I thought-"

Yuugi threw out her hands. "Stop, I know you're going to lecture me, but hear me out!" she said. "At first it was fine but then a girl pointed out that by dating you I'm eventually going to have to deal with the society you live in. At least if you ever wanted to get serious with me and I honestly wasn't sure if you would because then why would you want someone like me since I'm not that glamorous or pretty especially as an emerged female and then I thought that you might be mocked because you were associated with me and the thought just made me sick because I don't want to disgrace you and then you had something you weren't telling me and I thought you might have realized that I'm just a normal person after dating me and-"

"Yuugi. Breathe." Said Yami, placing his hands on her shoulders.

Yuugi took a much needed breath, taking a few seconds to calm herself. She then peered up at Yami, quickly adding: "And then you had to go study and I got a little lonely."

"Which meant you started thinking too much." Finished Yami. "Let me guess. This is also associated with you learning to put on makeup."

He wanted to protest everything she had said, to tell her that he would never be ashamed of her. That he was never more serious about anything in his life when it came to her. He wanted to tell her how beautiful she was to him, and how everyone else paled compared to her. There was so much he could say, but he knew it wasn't the right time for it.

"It sounds a little pathetic when said out loud." Muttered Yuugi.

"No, it doesn't." said Yami.

It was a lot to take in. Forget that she had emerged not that long ago, and now she had to deal with all the same self-esteem issues that all teenagers went through in high school. It was even worse because of the bullying and for all the reasons she listed. It was so obvious that this was what was bugging her that he wanted to kick himself. It wasn't just a normal case of bad self-esteem. It was a case of almost everything in her life flipping upside down and not having a handle on it. No wonder she felt confused and doubted herself.

"I should have realized this was what was bugging you." Said Yami.

"Not really." Said Yuugi. "I was trying to hide it. Plus, it's not like it's your fault or anything."

"No, but I should have seen this coming."

Yami removed his hands from her shoulders, folding them across his chest as he glared at the floor.

"What's happening to you is exactly what happened to Ryuji's sister." He said. "When we were fake dating, she was constantly bullied. Everywhere she went, people sneered and mocked her, eventually driving her to almost…" Yami swallowed, almost spilling everything there. That story was for another night. "I thought that maybe you would be spared from that sort of behavior since we're so far away from high society. But I guess bullying is bullying no matter the socio-economic status of the population."

He really was doing a bad job of taking care of her. If he was this oblivious, it was a wonder she still wanted to date him.

Arms wrapped themselves around Yami, and he realized that Yuugi was hugging him. He shifted, unable to resist returning the gesture, allowing himself to feel her comfort.

"You know." Said Yuugi. "I feel a ton better after telling you about it."

He could tell that she did. He could hear it in her voice, see it in her face. The heavy burden was gone, but he still felt bad.

"I'm sorry Yuugi." Said Yami, hugging her closely. "I've been too caught up in my own happiness to notice your distress."

"I'm the idiot that didn't say anything about it." Said Yuugi. "Besides, I can't just rely on your opinion of me for my own self esteem. At least not in the long run. I'll have to love myself for who I am, not just because you like me."

Yami chuckled. So much wisdom in those words. "Perhaps, but there is no problem with a boost, especially since you're still adjusting to emerging."

"Speaking of a boost."

Yuugi looked up at Yami, lightly glaring at him. "We need to talk about this definition of going slowly, because this speed is not working."

"Oh really now?" said Yami, smirking at her. His hand had again fallen to her hips, clasped behind her as they pulled her closer, imitating their previous position on the dance floor. Her hands had come up as well, lightly gripping his biceps.

"I'm not the person to ask since I'm not the one that insisted on it." He said, voice low.

"You are such a tease."

"Says the person that claimed they couldn't dance." Said Yami. "Were you trying to seduce me? Because it was your fault I almost lost control."

A grin spread across Yuugi's face. It spoke volumes of mischief running through her head. She slid her hand up his arm, cupping his face in her hands. Then she lightly pulled him closer to her, Yami's heart hammering in anticipation. He managed to control himself, to stop himself from pulling her towards him.

"Then I guess I'll just have to take control." She whispered, her breath on his face.

Yami knew it was time. He closed his eyes, waiting.

The second her lips met his, he felt a spark, his body surging with energy. Though her lips were soft, hesitant and inexperienced, they were also pure and true, as if telling Yami how sincere her feelings her. His heart was humming in pleasure, blissfully enjoying this moment.

It was over way too soon.

He opened his eyes slowly, finding Yuugi still a hairs breath away. Her eyes were still closed, pure bliss written clearly across her face. Yami felt his heart clench at the sight, unable to stop the surge of joy knowing that their feelings were connected, one and the same in that moment.

"Yuugi." He whispered.

Her body shivered when he said her name. She opened her eyes, and Yami found himself staring into amethyst, closer than he had ever been before. He knew his own were half lidded, heavy with emotion. They were still only inches apart, and Yami was determined to close the distance.

One of his hands pressed against her back, the other reaching up to caress her face with his fingers. He couldn't get over the fact that he had her here, in his arms, sharing this moment with her. He wanted more.

He tilted his head slightly, lips pressing firmly against hers again, urgent, and wanting. His yearning was starting to show, the dam slowly leaking, cracking as he continued, tasted her lips. They were like the purest honey, sweet and irresistible. He felt her respond, moving her lips against his. Her presence was starting to overwhelm him, drowning him in desire.

He had to stop now, or else he wouldn't be able to.

Slowly, Yami managed to back off.

He saw her take a deep breath, cheeks flushed. His own breathing was slightly labored, managing to stop himself from kissing her again. He was thankful his hands hadn't been wandering. There was no way she was ready for that.

She finally fluttered her eyes opening, looking up at him, evidently dazed.

"Sorry." He whispered, still smiling softly

"What for?" said Yuugi.

"For not asking."

"Did I ask before kissing you?"

Yami grinned. He bent forward, kissing her softly on the cheek, unable stop himself.

"You don't ever have to ask before kissing me." He said.

After wanting nothing more than to kiss her senseless for years, he would never decline the request from her.

Yuugi grabbed his hand, pressing her lips against his fingers.

"Same here." Said Yuugi. "So don't hold back."

 _Oh Yuugi, you don't know what you just said._

Or maybe she did. She had been a man before and she knew their urges. Well, if she remembered or not, it didn't matter. She would soon learn just how far his desires went.

It was actually a good thing that they were interrupted. It stopped Yami from doing something stupid. Then again, it was probably time to talk to her about this. About all of it. They were in a relationship, and if he couldn't talk to her about it, how were they supposed to know where the line was?

* * *

(Chapter 59)

Yami entered the car, closing the door with a snap.

"Well?"

Yami turned, leveling a glare at Marik who was no longer pretending to be asleep.

"Well what?" asked Yami.

"Did you comfort Poor little Yugi properly?" he said. "You were in there for a while. Long enough to get in a quick-"

"His grandpa was home." Interrupted Yami.

Marik let out a chuckle, climbing into the front seat. Yami slapped at him, telling him to use the doors, which of course he didn't, saying that he had just seen Yuugi do it.

"Are you going to tell me everything that happened?" said Yami, starting the car and driving out of Yuugi's neighborhood.

"Not much to tell." Said Marik. "I heard Bakura yell, got there and only saw Bakura and Ryou on the ground. The man yelled at me to apply pressure and then ran off."

"Did you talk to the police?"

"Yup." Said Marik. "They left before you guys got to the hospital. Asked me a lot of questions since I was the one that helped Ryou."

"Did you mention Bakura?"

"I did." Said Marik, expression darkening. "It was strange. They asked almost nothing about him. As if they were well aware who he was. One of the guys even mentioned that Ryou was Bakura's boyfriend before I mentioned it."

That was troubling. That meant the police were keeping tabs on Bakura. What sort of mess did he get himself into this time?

"By the way." Said Marik. "Did you know Ryou is a girl?"

"What!"

Yami would have stared at Marik had he not been driving, as it was, he nearly ran through a stop sign.

"Found out when I was trying to stop the bleeding." Said Marik, grimacing. "Wonder how long she's been hiding that little secret."

"That is surprising." Said Yami slowly, wondering if this had to do with Bakura disappearing. Things just didn't make any sense. Why would Bakura run off after his boy- girlfriend was stabbed?

Yami sighed, unable to think properly. His mind was tired, exhausted from the day's events. He might have dozed off at the wheel if it wasn't for Marik's constant chattering about the hot nurse that had given him a different shirt to change into. He just hoped that Yuugi would be able to sleep properly tonight.

* * *

 **Thank you all for your reviews! Deji princess, whitlaw123, Money100, justsomeone, Madolche Anjelly, Hiei Dragon Girl, ForeverWildfire2.0, Werezoroark, SkyNakama27, RequiemRein. You guys are beautiful!**

 **Good thoughts Werezoroark! I actually knew a lot of that stuff, though I'm still doubtful of some of it. I'm a hardcore romantic, but I have moments of skepticism, like with some of those studies. Well, except the cuddling one cause that is so totally true! And it's so true with them needing to trust each other! I had no desire to create dumb misunderstanding with them, especially since it wouldn't be believable. I thought of my best friends that I've known for years and there is no way I would doubt them without VERRY good reason. It would make no sense for them to doubt each other as well. And I am totally with you on the angst! Just wait until my other fic gets to the juicy stuff. Angst will be flying everywhere!**

 **Some were upset that I didn't show Yami's thoughts on the confession. I thought it was obvious what he was thinking and thought it redundant to write it again. Obviously I was wrong. As an apology, I wrote the entire kissing scene from Yami's perspective**

 **I thought I explained it well but apparently not. Yami didn't tell him mom about Yuugi emerging because then she would have made more reasons to reject Yuugi. It would basically have been useless as his mother still wouldn't have approved of her.**

 **Also, Yami's conversation with his parents will come later. Don't worry. XD**

 **I think this will be the last big one from Yami's perspective. Its just too much to go over the whole story and essentially re-write parts of it. Hope I have satisfied your curiosity enough!**

 **Thanks for reading! What was your favorite from this collection? Mine from last time was 35-36, cause I had no idea it would be that much fun to write Marik and Yami together. XD  
**


	62. Chapter 62

**Sorry for the wait my friends. Getting sick sucks. In case you were thinking about doing so, I strongly advise against it.**

* * *

Chapter 62

Yuugi wasn't able to sleep past seven the next morning. Her body was completely wiped out from the stressful night before, but her mind wouldn't let her rest until she knew Ryou was well. So instead of laying in the sheets, she kicked them aside, hoping that her grandpa was awake. He was, and thankfully agreed that going to see Ryou wasn't included in her grounding.

They stopped by a store where Yuugi grabbed a bouquet of flowers and a large stuffed white rabbit. She hadn't been able to stop himself. It had just screamed Ryou! Once at the hospital, they were ushered around until they made it into Ryou's ward. A nurse in blue scrubs and a kind smile came up to them.

"You two are here to see Ryou correct?" she said.

"Yes." Said Yuugi, smiling along with her grandpa. "How is Ryou doing?

"She's doing great." Said the nurse, and Yuugi let out a breath "She woke up a few hours ago. I'm sure she'll be thrilled to see you, though she should be allowed to rest soon. She's already got a friend in there that- oh!" She put her hand to her mouth. "Ah- um, excuse me, _he_ already already has a friend in there."

Yuugi smiled. It looked like the hospital respected Ryou's decision to hide her identity as a woman. It was nice, even if this woman had let her tongue slip. Gramps was looking confused.

"Don't worry." Said Yuugi "I already knew she'd emerged, but I don't think any of our other friends know. You're lucky it was me."

The nurse relaxed, giving an appreciative chuckle. "Thank you. I'll try to do better if she has more visitors. She's such a sweetheart I'd hate to make her upset."

As Yuugi and gramps walked towards the door, Yuugi made sure to lecture gramps about not spilling Ryou's secret.

"She doesn't want it to get out." Yuugi was saying. "She has her personal reasons why she wants to stay a man."

"Well not every person can adapt as quickly as you can." Said gramps, ruffling Yuugi's hair. "I'll be glad to see Ryou, boy or girl."

"Me too." Agreed Yuugi, pushing open the door to Ryou's room.

Then she promptly shut it.

Gramps gave her a strange look.

"Was it the wrong room Yuugi?" he asked.

"Nope. It was the right room."

"Then why did you shut the door? And your face is really red. Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine." Said Yuugi. "Let's just wait a little while before going in."

They didn't have to wait long. A minute later the door was opened and someone gestured them in. Yuugi walked in meekly, grateful for gramps who was greeting Ryou enthusiastically.

"Ryou my boy! You don't look half bad for someone that just got stabbed."

Ryou, who was sitting up on the hospital bed, gave a weak chuckle. She graciously took the bundle of flowers and rabbit from Yuugi, hugging the stuffed animal next to her side and giving her thanks. Yuugi tried not to notice how Ryou's cheeks were flushed or that her hospital clothes were distinctly ruffled. At least she was smiling. Ryou's face was bright and full of life. It was slightly more pale than usual not including the blush, but other than that she looked great.

Then there was the other person in the room. Bakura, who had opened the door for them, came to stand by the bed while Gramps and Yuugi pulled up chairs and took the other side. He folded his arms, an unmistakable smirk hidden behind his expression. His clothes were dirty, a distinct bruise below his eye and there was a bandage slapped on his arm next to a torn portion of his sleeve. It looked like he had been in a fight and it immediately made Yuugi worry.

"I'm really glad to see you." Said Yuugi to Ryou. "I heard that you wouldn't wake up last night."

"I've never been the best at waking up in the morning." Said Ryou with a shrug. "I'm fine now, and that's all that matters."

"So there weren't any complications or anything?" said Yuugi.

"None." Said Ryou, shaking her head. "I just fainted from lack of blood. The knife didn't hit any arteries or organs."

"Thank goodness, though there are a couple of others things we are still curious about." Said Yuugi, turning a pointed stare at Bakura. "Like how this all happened in the first place, and where certain people were after you got hurt."

Ryou looked uncomfortable, while the one that should look repentant just scoffed at Yuugi.

"That's none of your business squirt." said Bakura.

"If you wanted us to stay out of it then you shouldn't have run off." Said Yuugi. "And who asked you to show up all nonchalant after we all had heart attacks? We were really worried!"

Talk about anti climatic. Yuugi's head had come up with a multitude of different scenarios on what had happened, Bakura's casual appearance throwing half of them in the toilet.

"You'll keep your nose out if you want to keep it." Said Bakura, starting to get annoyed.

"And you should know better than that. Of course we are worried. About both of you!"

"Now boys," said gramps, holding up his hands to stem the fight. "This is a hospital. Ryou is still recovering. If you want to throw blame around you can do it later."

It was a good thing gramps hadn't been with them in the hospital yesterday. He would have had a stroke just witnessing the scene.

Yuug glanced at her grandfather before taking a breath. She was directing her pent up worries at Bakura in the form of anger, which was not the best idea as Bakura never took anything lying down. As it was, he did owe her an explanation, and she wasn't leaving until she got one she was satisfied with.

"It's alright." Said Ryou, putting a calming hand on Bakrua's arm. "I'm sure we frightened everyone quite a bit. It was a hard night for everyone." She then turned to stare at Bakura, some sort of silent plea in her look. Bakura stared back for a moment before scowling.

"Fine!" he said, frustrated and slumping into seat in the corner. "Do what you want."

Ryou's smile brightened as she turned to Yuugi and gramps.

"So what did happen?" asked Yuugi, recognizing the permission from Barkua. The man wasn't looking at them, staring out the window as he pouted.

"It's a long story." Said Ryou. Her expression became distant as she thought back. Once hand hugged the white bunny to her side while the other absently picked at the fur. She stayed there for a moment before sighing.

"Do you remember how Bakura was in that gang during high school? The Occult?" she asked.

"Yes..." said Yuugi slowly, watching her gramps expression from the side. He had not known that. His expression darkened, but thankfully he didn't comment.

"Well, before he graduated, he left, as you know." Said Ryou. "Or at least, he tried it. It's hard to leave once you get in, especially as far as Bakura got. But he wanted to leave…"

Yuugi knew that the reason was Ryou. She had been very vocal about her opinion in his street life.

"A lot happened, but he eventually got an offer." continued Ryou. "The police offered to wipe his record clean if he went undercover and help them get the leader of the Occult. He took the offer, swearing to keep silent about it."

"So that's where he's been doing." Said Yuugi, putting the pieces together. Why Bakura was never home, why he kept getting hurt and why he was still in such a foul mood unless he was with Ryou. "Did you agree to this?"

"No, I didn't." said Ryou, lightly glaring at the back of Bakura's head. "He kept it well hidden, staying active in the gang and getting in deeper than before."

"Stupid Bakura." Scoffed Yuugi. "Were you trying to worry your boyfriend to death? No wonder he kept getting upset with you."

"I already know that you know Mutou." Said Bakura lazily. "Just call her my girlfriend so we stop getting confused."

Based on the scene Yuugi had walked into earlier she had figured that Bakura knew about Ryou emerging. Still, it was again frustrating how everything seemed to calm down without her knowing how or why.

"Hold that thought for a minute." Said Yuugi, going back to Ryou. "Continue your story of what happened. I want to know the rest."

"At the club last night, Bakura was recognized by one of the gang members." Said Ryou, biting her lip in thought. "Apparently Bakura had been keeping his private life hidden from the Occult. They didn't know about me or any of you guys. He was trying to keep us uninvolved, so when Bakura realized that the guy had seen him and could now identify our faces, he decided to do something about it. I realized he was acting weird and followed him out when he went to confront the guy. From there, things got out of hand and… well."

Ryou gestured lamely at her side, wincing as she did so. "The guy thought I was a liability and went for me. Bakura called for help, Marik appeared and then Bakura went after the guy."

"And now what?" asked gramps, coming into the conversation, looking worried. "Are you still in danger from the gang? What about my granddaughter and the rest of your friends? Are they safe?"

"Don't worry pops." Said Bakura, again drawing their attention to him. He was lounging in the chair, head cocked lazily against an upright hand as he sneered at them with an evil grin. It highlighted the malice in his next words. "That bastard isn't going to be telling a soul anything. They messed up big time hurting my Ryou."

Yuugi suddenly felt sorry for the guy.

"Is it safe to be telling us all this?" said Yuugi, the thought occurring to her. "We're not in danger if we know are we? At least that's the usual excuse for keeping secrets."

"Like I said, they messed up big time." Said Bakura, standing up. He stretched his arms up, giving a large yawn and running a hand across his face. "The police got the leader and the rest of the Occult is in shambles at the moment. It turned out to be a good thing for the cops that all hell went loose. So no more undercover for me. I'm a free man. Anyway, I'm famished. I'm going to go to the cafeteria for some grub."

As Bakura made his way towards the door, Yugi noticed a distinct limp as he walked.

"You know what." Said Yuugi, standing up. "I think breakfast sounds great. Want anything Ryou? Gramps?"

"Sure Yuugi." Said Ryou, thankfully getting what Yuugi was doing. "I'd love some fruit."

"I'll take a bowl of oatmeal if they've got it." Said gramps. "But no sugar. I can't stand all the fake sweetener they put in that junk."

"You got it." chuckled Yuugi, hurrying to catch up with Bakura who hadn't waited for her. She caught up with him at the elevator, where they waited for the doors to open. Once they were inside without anyone else there, Bakura spoke up.

"What do you want chibi?" said Bakura.

"Just to talk to you." Said Yuugi. "You should get yourself checked up." Said Yuugi, motioning to Bakura's limp.

"You're the one that's been teaching Ryou to be a busy body." Said Bakura. "I'm in a hospital. If I keel over I'm sure someone will do something about it."

"And how long have you known that Ryou was a girl?"

Bakura glanced at him before returning his attention to the closed metal doors.

"Since the beginning." Said Bakura. "I've known the whole time."

* * *

 **Thank you for your reviews!** **ASHLEYDACYAT, Jaylonni Love, Ryouishdabest, RequiemRein, justsomeone, Mistoka, SkyNakama27, Madolche Anjelly, whitlaw123, Hiei Dragon Girl. You guys are great! I end up smiling a lot and enjoying writing that much more because I know that others will enjoy it as well and share the love. XD  
**

 **Like I said guys, lots of stuff happening behind the scenes. I could write short spin off stories for each of the other couples easily. Maybe one day.  
**


	63. Chapter 63

Chapter 63

"You already knew?" said Yuugi, surprised. "Wait... then when did she emerge?"

"Same weekend you did." Said Bakura.

Now that was a huge surprise. She had never imaged Bakura being that observant. Then again, it was his lover, and Ryou had filed out on top more than Yuugi. That had to be harder to hide.

"Why didn't you say anything to her?" said Yuugi. "She was freaked that you might not like her anymore."

Bakura's frown grew. "If she didn't want to mention it why should I? Her gender never mattered in the first place."

It was a very Bakura like answer, and it shouldn't have surprised Yuugi. Ryou was usually the one that brought up any issues between them. If she didn't, then they were never addressed. Bakura was the type that used to close himself off to others, until Ryou came around and tore down his walls. She had a strange stubbornness when it came to Bakura.

"I'm surprised Bakura." Said Yuugi. "It's somewhat thoughtful of you. I'm going to have to change my opinion of you."

"It's not my fault you're blind to my greatness."

They made it to the cafeteria, Yuugi grabbing some food for herself and her gramps. She was in the middle of arguing with Bakura on what Ryou's favorite fruit was when her cell phone went off. She picked it up, still fighting with Bakura.

"Hello?"

 _"_ _Yuugi."_ Said Yami's voice. _"Good morning, how'd you sleep?"_

"Well enough." Said Yuugi happily. "I actually couldn't sleep past seven so me and gramps came down to see Ryou and- no, not those Bakura. She likes red apples, not green ones. Those are just sour and nasty. Sorry. I came to visit Ryou."

 _"Is Bakura down there?"_ said Yami, sounding surprised. _"What happened? I didn't get much information before crashing."_

"I'm sure you were tired." Said Yuugi, digging into her pocket to pay for her food at the cashier. "Ryou's fine, it was just blood loss and her anemia acting up in the end. Well, besides the stab wound, but the nurse said she'd be fine. Also, apparently there was a lot more going on than we anticipated."

As Yuugi walked with Bakura back to the hospital wing, Yuugi gave him a brief account of what Ryou had told them. Yami listened quietly to the story as Yuugi finished.

 _"Do you mind putting Bakura on the phone for me?"_ he asked. _"I want talk to him for a bit."_

Yuugi handed Bakura the phone, who took it.

"What?" he said. Then he listened for a moment, glancing at Yuugi.

"Just give me a second,"

Bakura set down the phone on his tray, then placed Ryou's fruit on Yuugi's tray.

"Give that to Ryou for me." He said, then he walked off, talking to Yami on the phone. Yuugi couldn't help shaking her head. Yami probably was going to have a serious conversation with Bakura and didn't want Yuugi to overhear. She briefly wondered if Yami did this often; look into things and keep Yuugi out of it. She figured it was out of protection and care, but it somewhat irked her.

With this thought, she opened the door the Ryou's room. Apparently Ryou had another visitor as there was a new body in the room. Anzu had arrived, along with another bouquet of flowers and a card that stood on the small table. She turned to Yuugi as she entered, her eyes bright in excitement.

"I can't believe it!" she cried. "Ryou also emerged, you know what that means!? We can have awesome girl's nights and I can show you guys how to do hair and all sorts of things!"

Yuugi chuckled awkwardly. "Anzu, you do realize that me and Ryou didn't want to change our sex at all."

"But I don't have many close girl friends." pouted Anzu, looking slightly guilty. "I love you guys to death, but it's hard being the only girl in the group. No one else understands the pains and joys of being a girl."

"Oh, there are pains all right, and they come once a month." muttered Ryou.

"Oh, you'll still need to get all new clothes." Said Anzu, not having heard Ryou. "And we still haven't gone proper clothes shopping for winter for you Yuugi. We can all go together once you're better Ryou. Maybe we can even have a party for when they release you. This is so exciting."

Yuugi couldn't help it, she laughed at Anzu, glad for her positive attitude.

"Anzu… Anzu." Said Yuugi, trying to calm the girl down. "You have to ask if Ryou is okay with this. I asked for your help, but does Ryou want to be pampered?"

"I already asked her." Said Anzu. "And Ryou says that she is ready to live as a girl in the open now."

"Really?"

Sure enough, Ryou's face was turning red, eyes on the sheets as she picked at them.

"Well, since the reason for hiding it is no longer relevant." muttered Ryou. "And Anzu did say I would look nice all dressed up… there's no harm in trying is there?"

"None." Said Yuugi, then she let out a chuckle. "If we keep this up, maybe Jou will emerge next weekend. Then Anzu can have another girl to doll up."

Anzu looked a little too excited about the idea.

* * *

 **Money100, Hiei Dragon Girl, Iris Butterfly, whitlaw123, Madolche Anjelly, Jaylonni Love, SkyNakama27, justsomeone, Guest, and ASHLEYDACYAT. Thank you for your reviews and lovely thoughts on the story!**

 **I'm feeling much much better, thank you all!**


	64. Chapter 64

Chapter 64

An hour later, Jounouchi and Honda showed up to see Ryou. Luckily Bakura wasn't around at the time so they were able to explain the situation before they could jump to conclusions again. Jou still nearly decked Bakura after learning what was going on, upset that he had both put Ryou in danger by doing such a dangerous job, and then for not telling everyone about it.

"Don't friends help each other out?" Jou had said.

Some days, Yuugi felt she would never understand how Jou's brain worked.

Honda had reacted differently, more stuck on the fact that Ryou was now a girl. He'd stood without moving for five minutes, no doubt reliving all the moments he had interacted with Ryou during the past month or so.

"It's obviously just a mental block Honda." Said Anzu. "Seriously, between me and Yuugi one would have thought you'd have gotten used to girls by now."

Yuugi and gramps had to leave soon after, both to let Ryou rest and so gramps cold get the shop ready to open for tomorrow. As they drove back, Yuugi couldn't help feeling both relieved and excited that Ryou's secret was now out in the open.

"Looks like a lot has been happening since I was away." Said gramps.

"You have no idea." Said Yuugi, shaking her head. "Things are always changing, but I think it's fine. I like the changes so far."

"I can tell." Said gramps, chuckling. "I imagine things are still going well with you and Yami then."

"Awww gramps, don't tease me about him." Said Yuugi, pouting. She got lost of a second, thinking about the moment they had shared on the rooftop. Yup, definitely going well.

"Fine, fine." said gramps. "But still, I'm glad to see that you've got such good friends Yuugi. Won't you tell me what's been going on?"

"Of course." Said Yuugi. She was happy her gramps was home, glad to finally not be alone in the house. Yami was over often, save for this past week, but gramps was a permanent fixture, one Yuugi relied on. She spent the rest of the car ride talking and laughing with gramps about her friends and school.

* * *

Monday rolled around, Yuugi uncharacteristically excited for the beginning of the week, mostly because she wanted to see Yami again. It had been weeks since they had walked to school together and she missed those early morning moments with her boyfriend. Sure enough, that morning after saying goodbye to gramps, she found him waiting for her outside.

"You could have come inside." She said.

"I didn't want to intrude." Said Yami. "And I wasn't sure if your grounding allowed me to."

Yuugi had reached Yami, who leaned forward giving her a quick peck on the lips.

"Good morning." He said with a smirk.

"Morning." mumbled Yuugi, her cheeks tinged with pink. It was frustrating how naturally he did that.

He took her hand and the two of them started walking to school together. Yuugi was glowing, happy to again be in the swing of their normal life. It hadn't felt right walking to school without him there.

"Did you go see Ryou yesterday?" asked Yuugi.

"I did." Said Yami. "She seems to be in good spirits, though I was surprised she emerged. I had no idea."

"I knew." Said Yuugi. "Well, I accidentally found out by walking in on her changing. She didn't want me to tell anyone."

"And you said you're not good at keeping secrets."

"Speaking of secrets." Said Yuugi. "What were you talking to Bakura about on the phone? I got the impression that you asked him to go somewhere I wouldn't overhear."

"Not exactly." Said Yami. "I just had to ask him about his undercover operation and some of the details were sensitive. If he got me involved at all, my family would not tolerate any sort of scandal and he and Ryou could have been hurt as a result."

Yuugi made a noncommittal noise in her throat. Yami gave her a sideways glance, a question in his expression.

"What was that sound for?" he asked.

"I'm trying to decide if you're in trouble." Said Yuugi.

"How so?"

"Because you told me what was going on but only because I asked." Said Yuugi. "I'm also wondering if there are other things that you hadn't told me and you're keeping it all to yourself like you tend to do. Well, besides the big one that's been bugging you that you refuse to mention."

"So because you finally told me what's been bugging you, you think I should spill as well." He said.

"I'm simply wondering if you've been keeping things from me."

Yami's eyebrows twitched.

"Ah ha!" said Yuugi, pointing at Yami. "You _have_ been keeping things from me. What is it I wonder? A secret second lover? Or perhaps you emerged as well."

"We can check the second one if you'd like." Said Yami, then before Yuugi could stop him, he had yanked his shirt up, revealing well tones pecs and abs. Yuugi gaped at him, both at his ridiculousness, and at the mouth drooling sight in front of her. Being originally a man, she had never been into guys and their shape. But because it was Yami - and chiseled to perfection she might add - she couldn't help her face heating up.

"Yup, still a guy." Said Yam, patting his abs with satisfaction.

"P-put that away!" said Yuugi, hands grasping at his shirt. He danced out of the way, his full front still showing. "What are you doing you embarrassing man?"

"Now that hurts." Said Yami, looking at his stomach. "I didn't think this was anything to be embarrassed about."

"What are you guys doing?"

Jou had shown up, as had Honda. They were both looking at Yami, confusion in their expressions.

"Yuugi here thought I had turned into a girl." Said Yami as he gestured to himself. "I thought I'd provide her with evidence that I hadn't. Then she said I was embarrassing. Why would I be embarrassed by this?"

"Dang Yami, since when do you have time to work out?" Said Jou, lifting his own shirt. "I work out and this is all I have to show for it." Apparently Jou had some abs as well, though not as well toned at Yami's.

It was this sight of Yami, Jou, and eventually Honda comparing muscles that Anzu found them.

"It's way too early in the morning to be dealing with all of you." She grumbled, grabbing Yuugi and pulling them inside of the school.

* * *

 **Money100, Werezoroark, BloodyAyame23aka K, whitlaw123, SkyNakama27, Iris Butterfly, justsomeone, RequiemRein, Mistoka, Jaylonni Love, Hiei Dragon Girl, ASHLEYDACYAT, and RenMow11. Thank you for all of your faithful reviews! I truly appreciate you letting me know that you're enjoying the story. And also I welcome all the new readers and such who found this or were recommended by their friends. XD  
**

 **Haha. Werezoroark, I'm right there with you. That's pretty much what my girl's nights are like as well. Forget makeup, I stay up playing video games with my sister and foreign exchange sister until 1 in the morning. Then we watch Lord of the rings, shoot nerf guns at the bad guys and then pause the movie when Orlando Blooms face shows up on the screen to appreciate his yumminess... Okay so maybe a little girly. XD**


	65. Chapter 65

Chapter 65

The plan was this. Ryou would come to school after she recovered, her excuse for going to the hospital being because she had emerged and there had been complications. No one need know that she had both been stabbed and that she had been a _she_ for the past few months. The school agreed, and that was the official story of why Ryou showed up on Thursday, dressed in a female uniform and sporting a bandage around her stomach.

Anzu had stayed the night at her place the day before, helping Ryou adjust. Yuugi would have gone as well, but she was still grounded and had been forced to stay at home.

Bakura had come to the school to offer his support, glaring at anyone that dared stare at his Ryou. He looked quite the sight, the still purple bruise and half healed cuts highlighting on his face.

"Bakura, you should really calm down." Said Yuugi. "We'll take good care of her, don't worry yourself."

"It's not you I don't trust." Said Bakura, watching a random stranger closely as they passed. The poor guy was so intimidated he turned white, running across the street to get away from them.

"Don't scold him Yuugi." Said Ryou, grabbing a hold of Bakura's face and smiling at him. "I think it's hot how protective he is of me, but 'Kura, you really should stop. You should know I've only got eyes for you."

Yuugi gave what felt like the millionth gag. Now that Bakura and Ryou's relationship was finally back where it should be, the two had been sickening to watch. She had wished more than once that she hadn't volunteered to walk with them to school.

"I hope we're not that bad." She said to Yami.

Anzu, who was walking behind them, gave a little snigger that turned into a cough.

"Do you have something to say Anzu?" said Yuugi.

"Nope. Not a thing."

The school population took it in their stride with Ryou's emergence. After Yuugi had emerged, they were better prepared, and generally accepted Ryou easily. Though she stayed close to Yuugi and the others for the first two days, she slowly got used to people staring at her. Anzu took it upon herself to stick close to Ryou. The girl was amazingly supportive, helping Ryou through every bump like she had done with Yuugi, who couldn't help sending a silent thanks to whatever deity had sent her such amazing friends.

And so the week went on like normal. Other than Ryou adjusting, Yuugi was still receiving threatening letters and being called nasty names under random people's breath. Yami stood beside her for much of it, glaring at everyone worse than before.

The bullying didn't bother Yuugi as much as it had used to. It had made a huge difference admitting her fears to Yami. Now instead of the surge of shame she used to experience anytime someone called her ugly or cheap, she only felt a twinge of unease. Why were people so intent on telling her she wasn't worthy of being with Yami?

One particular event did manage to get under her skin. She had summoned up enough courage to wear a bit of makeup to school. It was just a touch of mascara, but she had felt both strange and proud of actually wearing it around her peers. That is, until Tara literally laughed in her face for it.

"What a pathetic attempt." She had said, friends sniggering behind her. "Ah yes, I'm sure that will cover up your flaws so perfectly. Is this the extent of what Yami's is worth to you? You're such an embarrassment."

Unfortunately for her, Yami had come around the corner and overheard her. He walked straight up into her face, slamming his hand against the locker. The girl jumped at the crash, half of the hall stopping at the sound.

"I've been patient because Yuugi insisted." Said Yami, his voice cutting into the girl as she trembled in fear. "But I will only tolerate so much of your crap Tara. You will refrain from talking to my girlfriend ever again or you will find yourself suddenly needing a new pair of kneecaps."

Tara bolted, no doubt terrified of the pure fury that Yami had been exuding. Even after she had left, Yuugi could still see the anger burning inside of Yami's eyes.

"You know." Said Yuugi slowly, Yami snapping his attention to her. "I think I understand what Ryou was getting at, because that _was_ hot."

Yami blinked in surprise, then slowly relaxed.

"Sorry." He said. "I knew you wanted to fight this on your own, but… I didn't even notice I was moving."

Yuugi took his hand, smiling at him as she gave it a squeeze.

"Thank you." She said. "and not just for this. I heard about the agreement between you and Ushio."

"How did you find that out?" said Yami.

"Caught him taking the letters from my locker, and would it kill you to at least look a little guilty? I knew you were hiding something from me. When are you going to talk to me about the bigger things that are going on?"

"Another time." Said Yami, "We need to get to class or we'll be late."

But Yuugi was done. She was grateful that he was protecting her from the side, but she was also irritated with him. With his insistence on doing everything himself, with his million attempts to avoid what was bothering him, she was done with it all. Whatever it was, she knew it was big. Big enough that Yami was scared of it, much like she had been scared of telling Yami her fears. She didn't want Yami carrying the weight alone.

She grabbed Yami's arm, not paying attention to his protest as she led him to an empty hall. Once they were alone, she turned around, planted her hands on her hips as she glared at him.

"What's the point of this?" said Yuugi.

"Excuse me?" said Yami, confused.

"Of this?" said Yuugi, gesturing to the two of them. "Of us dating? Of us having a relationship? What's the point if we don't rely on one another, communicate and experience things together? I can see that something is bothering you, much like my insecurities did me. I don't want that. I want to help you. I want to be honest with you Yami, and I want you to be honest with me as well."

Yuugi held her head high, not backing down with her glare. She wanted Yami to understand how important this was to her- that he was important to her.

His eyes flickering between her own, searching as if he was trying to find something. Then he relaxed, taking a breath. She could see the exhaustion in that one gesture and it surprised her.

"Not now." Said Yami. "I'll tell you about it later."

"What did I just-!"

"It would take too long."

He walked forward, gathering Yuugi in his arms and hugging her to his chest. He buried himself in her, completely engulfing her in a way he hadn't done since she had confessed to him. She returned the hug, more frightened then comforted by the gesture.

"You're scaring me a bit." She said, feeling the need to let him know.

"Sorry." He muttered in her hair. "I'll tell you. I promise, just… later. When we have time to talk without interruptions."

Yuugi didn't let go of Yami until her heart resumed its normal pace, well past the tardy bell signaling they were late for class.

* * *

 **Neko-May Resha, Hiei Dragon Girl, SkyNakama27, Werezoroark, Jaylonni Love, whitlaw123, RequiemRein, Money100, justsomeone, XxVampire-AlisaxX, RenMow11, ForeverWildfire2.0. Thank you for your reviews! The previous chapter was a lot of fun to write.**

 **Neko-May Resha, Where did I get the idea to compare abs? It just sort of happened. Like, literally, that's not where the conversation was supposed to go. It was going to be serious, and then Yami derailed it completely. And** **Werezoroark nope, it wasn't awkward to write. I was laughing so hard my sister gave me strange looks.**


	66. Chapter 66

Chapter 66

Today was the day. It was the day of the first date she would have with her first boyfriend. If that wasn't bad enough, she was sure today would be the day that Yami finally told her what was bothering him. He'd been acting normally for the rest of the week, at least around others, but she could tell he was worried. Yami didn't worry easily.

"Like I need something else to fuss about" she mumbled to herself. "Are you trying to kill me with anxiety? Stupid Yami."

Her room was again littered with clothes, trying to figure out what the heck she was going to wear on her date. Yami had told her to wear something comfortable to walk in, so she knew it wasn't a nice fancy place. She might have smacked him if he thought taking to a black tie sort of restaurant would impress her.

She needed to stop thinking so hard is what she needed to do. Yami knew most of her wardrobe already, there was no need to fret about it. This was Yami she was dealing with. Yami who said that he did indeed want to kiss her.

Yuugi fell into lala land for a moment, shining in the revelation that Yami saw her as desirable. She couldn't help smirking in triumph at all the nasty girls that said she was worthless. It was amazing how her self-esteem sky rocketed just from the knowledge that Yami did indeed want her.

 _It's really not fair how easily he affects me._ Thought Yuugi with a sigh. Her eyes fell on the keychains that she had bought while on her date with Ryuji. She never had given Yami his. She had been waiting for his birthday, but to date seemed too far away. Maybe she should just give it to him at the date.

She grabbed the keychain, watching them dangle in front of her as she thought to herself. Some things in their relationship were solid, but others still felt shaky. She still felt uncertain at times, mostly because the man was so perfect that it wasn't fair. It seemed unlikely that he would like someone normal like her while it would be perfectly normal for her to fall for him. How could she have not fallen in love with someone so handsome, considerate, smart and-

Yuugi sat up, eyes widening as she was stuck by a moment of self-clarity, the revelation burning white hot within her.

She was in love with Yami. Not just the typical teenage highs school angsty 'like' that one typically experienced, nor was it just a crush. It was a full on, one hundred percent head over heels in love with Yami.

"Oh hell…" muttered Yuugi, running her hands through her hair. There was no question about it. Yami, who had always been an integral part of her life, was now so much more. He was her lover, her other half, her source of comfort and support. He was her everything.

In a way it frightened her. Someone having that much power of her was scary, but it also filled her with delight. She suddenly wanted to tell him, to let him know how much he meant to her. The words that she had never uttered now danced at the tip of her tongue, desperate to be released.

"This just goes from bad to worse." Said Yuugi, shaking her head in exasperation. First she was anxious about the date, next about what was bugging Yami, and now she wanted to declare to him that she was in love with him.

 _Forget this,_ thought Yuugi, throwing her head back in exasperation. _Why am I still sitting here?_

She threw the first outfit that looked like it matched before grabbing the two key chains and striding out of the house. They were meeting in a park near the square. If Yami was there early, then she would be too. A grin spread across her face as she walked.

She wanted to see him as soon as possible.

* * *

 **Thanks for the reviews! Money100, Neko-May Resha, RequiemRein, SkyNakama27, whitlaw123, SapphireTreewaterTheBlindOne, Hiei Dragon Girl, Jaylonni Love, RenMow11, (and ASHLEYDACYAT) justsomeone, and Phoenix Nine. You guys are dah best! I also love reading your own personal thoughts and parallels to this story.**

 **RenMow11, Say hi to ASHLEYDACYAT for me. Lol. Mothers are OP!** **Phoenix Nine, you are sweet! Glad you've enjoyed it. It's been fun to write. XD**

 **SapphireTreewaterTheBlindOne : You have no idea how glad I am someone got that subtle reference. ROFL**

 **Jaylonni Love, I'm right there with you. I was accused of being snobby as well when I was a teen because I was quiet. Blah. Yay high school.**


	67. Chapter 67

Chapter 67

Coming early had apparently been the right choice. There was still an hour and half before the determined meeting time but Yami was already there. He was sitting on the bench as he watched the other occupants of the park. He wore a thick brown coat, hands shoved into the pockets. He also wore a beanie, parts of his red tipped hair peeking out of the bottom of the cap.

He hadn't noticed Yuugi approach, his back to her. She stayed away for a moment, now a little hesitant to get closer. Instead, she watched the back of his head for a moment as he sat and waited. How long had that idiot been out here in the cold? Hopefully not that long.

Yuugi walked forward, wrapping her arms around his neck. He was startled, turning his head and relaxing when he saw it was her. She snuggled her face into the crook of his neck.

"You're early." Said Yuugi.

"So are you." Said Yami.

"Couldn't wait?"

"I'm not exactly the most patient person."

Yuugi laughed, removing herself from his neck and plunking down beside Yami.

"On the contrary, I think you're a very patient person." Said Yuugi. "If you doubt me, ask my emergence therapist. She thinks you're the bee's knees."

Yami smiled as he removed his hand from the coat pocket, slipping it inside of Yuugi's hand. She was wearing fingerless gloves, so the sensation of holding his hand was different than usual. She felt really warm, despite the cold temperature.

"Well, we're a little early." He said. "Should we get something to eat first?"

"I thought you said we were going to be walking around." Said Yuugi, she lifted her arms "Look, I dressed warm and everything. Even have a scarf."

"We will be, but the event hasn't started yet." Said Yami, checking his watch. "We've got at least an hour to kill, and I didn't have lunch."

Neither had Yuugi. Now that she thought about it, she was hungry. Her stomach took that moment to tell her verbally. She grimaced as Yami chuckled.

"You know, if you're hungry, I guess we could go eat." sassed Yuugi.

Yami replied by standing up and giving her a cheeky grin. He took her with him, pulling her closer. Yuugi complied, practically glowing as he bent down to give her a slow deliberate kiss. It sent a rush of adrenaline through her, smiling so hard her cheeks hurt.

This could get addictive really quickly.

"Hmm, that's not exactly what I meant, but I liked it." Said Yuugi.

They left the park, walking to one of their favorite restaurants that served soba and udon noodles. It was perfect for the cold day, the heated soup quickly warming her whole body. She slurred her noodle, humming contently to have her stomach filled.

"You're getting sauce all over your face." said Yami.

"Once of the many hazards of enjoying good food." Said Yuugi. "Unless you'd like to clear it off for me." She showed Yami her cheek, waiting patiently for him to do so.

"Are we in a manga or something?" said Yami. He did however, grab a napkin and reach forward with the obvious intention to fulfill her request. Yuugi snatched the napkin out of his hand and cleaned off her own face as she rolled her eyes.

"We _are_ on a date Yami." Said Yuugi. "Though, we do this so often I admit it doesn't feel much like one. Is that normal?"

"Does it matter?" Said Yami. "The important thing is if you're enjoying yourself."

"Well I am, so it must be a good thing."

Yami laughed, taking a moment to shake his head at her, that extra tenderness set aside just for her in his eyes.

"We haven't even gotten to the main event yet." He said.

"Oh, well in that case, I'm so bored. Bored bored bored. You're boring Yami."

The meal continued, and despite Yuugi telling Yami every two minutes how bored she was, she was having a better time than normal. With her new found feelings, she felt herself bursting with joy with just this simple outing. As an extra plus, Yami seemed to be enjoying it as much as she was. The worries from before had taken a back seat in her head, completely forgotten.

They did run into a little problem when it came to paying the bill. Yami insisted on paying for it, which Yuugi was having none of. The poor waiter that was waiting for their payment could only look on, helpless as yet another stupid couple argued about money.

"I was the one that brought you out, so it should be me paying." Said Yami.

"But you're treating me like a girl." Argued Yuugi. "You promised not to do that."

"That's playing dirty Yuugi, I would have paid for you no matter what."

"Let the boy pay for you dear." Said the server, obviously sick of their argument. "It's proper for a man to pay for the date."

"You heard her." Said Yami, then he winced as Yuugi kicked his shin under that table.

"How about this Yami." Said Yuugi. "I'll pay for your half and you pay for my half. Though that might not work since you could buy really expensive things out of spite."

"We both know you're more likely to do that than me." said Yami. "But I also know you won't relent on this. Alright, I accept your terms."

"Excellent." Yuugi fished out her wallet as the waiter swapped their checks. The waiter, however, wasn't done adding their two cents to the conversation.

"You really should just let him pay dear." She said. "It's nice to see men being chivalrous for once. Don't you think you're being rude by rejecting his efforts to treat you with respect?"

Yuugi's first reaction was to be shocked at her bluntness, and second to appreciate that someone had the guts to say these things to her face. She saw the slight change in Yami's posture that told her he was annoyed with the comment.

"Let me help you understand." Said Yuugi, taking control of the confrontation. She pointed to herself, smiling at the woman. "I emerged around four months ago. He-" she pointed at Yami. "-promised not to treat me like a girl. This is a fight for my pride as a man, what little I have left."

"Oh, excuse me." Said the waiter, eyes widening. "I thought you two were on a date."

"We are." Said Yami.

The comment made the waiter more flustered. She chuckled awkwardly, the weak type where one wasn't sure what to say but felt the need to fill the silence.

"Well, I'll just go take care of these checks then." She said, hurrying off.

She quickly took care of the money, offering a quick apology to them as they left. Yuugi told her not to worry about it, especially since her comment was made with good intentions. As they left the restaurant, content and full of food, Yami took her hand, as was customary.

"That was a surprise." Said Yami.

"What was?" said Yuugi.

"That you offer up to a stranger you had emerged." Said Yami. "I've never seen you do that before."

"That's because I haven't." said Yuugi. "I've been in the process of adjusting for so long that I wonder if I'll ever feel completely content in my skin. Yet once I accepted this, I felt more comfortable. Yet another insecurity I'm doing battle with."

"Everyone has insecurities." Said Yami. "Take comfort in that knowledge at least."

"You don't have any." said Yuugi. "It's annoying how composed you look all the time."

"Appearing composed and being composed are two very different things." Said Yami.

"Being hesitant to confess to me doesn't count." Said Yuugi, catching onto what he was talking about. "It's all good now, so no more worrying in that department."

She wasn't looking at him, so she didn't see his expression falter. Yuugi had just spotted a group of lights in the distance. It was a festival, balloons and red decorations hanging from overhead. A few girls walked by wearing kimono's, no doubt headed for the event.

"Is that where we're going?" she said, excited. "A festival?"

"Oh, I don't know." Said Yami, his tone light and uncaring. "It looks boring. We should avoid that area as much as- "

He didn't get to finish as Yuugi had yanked him forward, sealing a quick kiss on his lips.

"I like the venue choice." Said Yuugi, a big cheeky grin on her face. "Want to see who can win at the shooting gallery this year?"

Yami had gone wide eyed at her forwardness, too tongue tied to answer. Yuugi didn't give him time to recover, tugging on his hand to lead them towards the festival.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! And thank you my friends for your reviews and love! whitlaw123, RequiemRein, Money100, RenMow11, Guest, SkyNakama27, Jaylonni Love, , Hiei Dragon Girl, justsomeone,** **ASHLEYDACYAT, and Tarashima. Once again, I give you my utmost gratitude for your encouragement. And hilarious comments. Haha.**

 **I need to stop updating in the middle of the night. Everyone go to sleep! (That includes those that have been binge reading this. XD )**

 **I'm going out of the country in a week, so if I don't update for like a month I'm not dead. Just a heads up in case I don't update before then.**


	68. Chapter 68

Chapter 68

"Got it!" cried Yuugi, who had successfully scooped up a gold fish. She peered at the orange and yellow fish as it swam in the clear bag. "I think I'll call it Magikarp."

"Don't get too attached." Said Yami. "You'll probably kill it in a week like you did with the last one."

"Probably." Muttered Yuugi. "Maybe I should give it to Rebecca. I think she'd like it."

They left the stand, Yuugi first picking up the assortment of prizes and food they had acquired through the festival. It included a stuffed cat doll, a pinwheel and a stick of cotton candy. Yami himself had a stack of knick knacks, a Pikachu mask tied to the side of his head. Between the two of them, they had decimated the game sections, their keen gaming skill tearing through the challenges, sometimes thwarting even the rigged ones.

"Is Rebecca talking to you again?" said Yami.

"Yeah, she showed up at the store." Said Yuugi. "Apparently she'd been waiting for it to open to come and apologize to me. Now she's excited to have a big sister to do things with." Yuugi shook her head. "I hope she's planning on being the big sister. I have no idea what she means by big sister time."

They stood at the side of the path, taking a rest from the activities. The festival was in full swing, people laughing and mingling down the streets as they played games and ate. Yuugi happily ate her cotton candy, sharing with Yami. A stand of key chains caught her eye and she remembered something.

"I can't believe I forgot." Said Yuugi, setting down her stuff. She pulled out the key chains from her purse, the chibi Dark and Silent Magicians coming out.

"Here." Said Yuugi, holding out the Dark Magician. "This one is for you."

"Now this is something new." Said Yami, taking the keychain and looking at it. "I never thought I'd see a chibi Dark Magician before."

"Yup, and I have this one." Said Yuugi, holding up hers. Yami took it as well, looking between the two of them for a moment.

"Here." Said Yami, handing her back the dark magician. "You should take this one."

"Why?"

"Because this one reminds me of you. I think it makes sense to trade them like this."

"Good idea!" said Yuugi. She took the dark magician, smiling as she attached it to the key in her purse. "And now we both have a little representation of each other with us."

Yami smiled, leaning down and giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you Yuugi." He said.

Yuugi felt herself smile so hard it almost hurt. Those feelings and words she had been thinking the whole night were back. Now seemed a good time to tell him. The mood was good, it was a nice event, and she really wanted him to know.

"Hey, Yami?" said Yuugi.

He looked up from attaching the keychain to his keys.

"What is it?" he said.

"I lo-"

"Mommy!"

Yuugi nearly fell over as something ran into her legs. She staggered, Yami catching her as she righted herself and looked down. It appeared a little human had decided to latch onto Yuugi. The boy was probably 6 and hugging Yuugi's leg tightly.

"Excuse me." Said Yuugi, catching the boy's attention. "I'm not your mom." _Now that's something I never thought I'd say._

The boy seemed to come to this conclusion quickly, his expression changing from delight to embarrassment. He quickly let go.

"Ah um. Sorry. I thought you were my mommy." He laughed nervously.

"It's fine." Said Yuugi, smiling at the boy. She bent down slightly to talk to him at a lower level. "Did you get separated from your mom?"

The boy nodded, licking his lips nervously. They were chapped from the habit.

"What's your name?" said Yuugi.

"Davin."

"It's nice to meet you Davin. I'm Yuugi." Said Yuugi, smiling and then motioning to Yami. "And this here is Yami."

The boy nervously hid behind Yuugi, evidently more comfortable with her than Yami.

Yuugi was a little disappointed with the interruption, especially with the mood being good, but the boy needed help. She could talk to Yami later.

"Davin." Said Yuugi, "Let's go find your family. I'm sure they're worried for you."

The boy nodded again, eyes brightening in excitement. "Can we go play with the hoops?" he said.

"He doesn't seem too concerned about getting lost." Said Yami, chuckling. "Let's see if we can find your mother first, and then we can play some hoops."

Yuugi and Yami then played baby sitter, asking the boy what his mother looked like, what she had been wearing, and if the dad was with her. Apparently they were both here, but the boy couldn't remember what they had been wearing. He did like to talk however, jabbering away about the latest TV show he was watching; Justice Rangers. He also pointed out each and every game, asking repeatedly if they could play. Eventually they conceded, and Yami showed him how to throw the hoops around the bottles. Davin came away with a stick of candy as a prize. The boy was much happier after receiving it.

"What if we go to the police post?" said Yuugi, who was on one side of Davin, holding his hand. "They have some set up specifically for lost kids. If the parents are looking for him, then they should be there."

"It's a good idea." Said Yami, holding the boy's other hand. "I think there's one just past these stalls."

They were approaching the small police post when someone came running towards them. It was a woman, auburn hair flying out of her bun as she hurried towards the boy.

"Oh Davin! There you are." She said, holding out her arms.

"Mom."

Davin ripped his hands out of their grips, running to his mother and meeting her in a hug. The woman hugged Davin closely before pulling away and lightly scolding him.

"Don't I always say to stay close? You shouldn't wander. What if something had happened to you?"

"I wasn't lost mom." Said Davin. "I had these two with me." He pointed to Yuugi and Yami,

The mother looked up, spotting Yuugi and Yami. She appeared surprised, then walked towards them with her son's hand in her own

"Did you two find my son?" said the woman.

"He found us more like." Said Yuugi. "He ran into me and called me mom. Which is funny since we don't look alike at all."

"Did he really?" said the woman. She had a strange look on her face as she examined them again. Davin tugged on her sleeve trying to get her attention.

"Look, they gave me candy." Said Davin. "And they let me play hoops with them."

"It was fun. Davin was pretty good." Said Yuugi, smiling at the boy. He felt a little odd though, as the woman still hadn't gotten that strange look off of her face.

"Davin dear." She said. "I want you to listen to me closely. Did they talk you into coming with them?"

"Yup." Said Davin, he appeared uneasy at his mother's stern tone. She glanced at them again, and at that moment, Yuugi's stomach dropped. The mother obviously didn't trust them. If her questions were anything to go by, she suspected them of taking her son away. Judging by Yami's increased scowl, he had just figured the same.

"Excuse me." Said Yami. "But I think you've misunderstood something."

"Have I now?" said the mother, who was starting to bristle in anger. "Then you won't mind if I call the police now would you?"

Yuugi reeled back, thrown off guard at her hostility. How had it turned to this? One second they had been doing their good deed for the day, and the next they were accused of kidnapping. Even as she was recovering, the woman was dialing the police, arguing with Yami.

"Trying to take away my son. You two should be ashamed of yourself!"

"We were not trying to take him away. He was lost, and we helped him get back."

"Don't lie to me. You were trying to lure him away with sweets and prizes."

They were starting to draw a crowd, people stopping to see what they were arguing about. This was just getting worse. Yuugi seriously considered grabbing Yami's hand and running, just because of how intense the situation was. He even saw a few people putting out their phones to record the scene.

"Please, we mean no harm." Said Yuugi, which turned the woman's anger to her.

"No harm? You were trying to kidnap my son." The mother spat. "People like you are worse than scum. Don't think you will get away with this. Ah good, the police man is here."

Yuugi's heart was hammering in fear as she saw the man in the uniform approach, drawn to the crowd.

"What seems to be the problem?" he said.

Before either Yuugi or Yami could speak, the woman had pointed an accusatory finger at them.

"These two were trying to kidnap my child." She said. "I want them taken in."

"Is that so?" Said the officer, looking them over. His expression tightened slightly, as if he had spotted something disgusting. That wasn't a good sign. Yuugi exchanged a worried look with Yami, who was in battle mode. His mask of indifference was on, red eyes piercing as they glared at the other two, seemingly unconcerned with their accusation. It was an intimidating glower, one that made adults shrink back in shame.

"We have nothing to hide officer." Said Yami. "This woman here has misunderstood. We were trying to find her to return her son and she jumped to conclusions."

"If you have nothing to hide, you wouldn't mind coming to the station would you?" said the officer.

"Of course not." Said Yami.

"Then come with me." Said the officer. He motioned for them all to move, leading them to the station. The mother shot them another venomous look before moving her son farther away from them. Yuugi was sweating profusely, completely terrified. She had never been in trouble with the law before. Her head was already making up the worse possible scenarios where she ended up in jail, her records forever tainted and she couldn't get a job and then her grandpa would die from shame and she'd end up on the streets and-

Yami took her hand, giving it a comforting squeeze.

"Don't worry." Said Yami. "We'll clear this up." He said it with such confidence she believed him, quieting the scenarios in her head.

She still felt like she might throw up.

* * *

 **vcjb242, ForeverWildfire2.0, Unitato722, Mistoka, Hiei Dragon Girl, RenMow11, RequiemRein, SkyNakama27, justsomeone, lollileahpop, Money100, ASHLEYDACYAT, and whitlaw123. Thank you for your reviews! You guys are fantastic.**

 **I'm leaving next week for two weeks. Not sure if I'll post before then.**


	69. Chapter 69

**I might be going out on a limb here, but I think people were a little upset at the mother for jumping to conclusion. I could be wrong, but who knows. ;)**

* * *

Chapter 69

The boy's father was already at the police station. When they had entered, he ran up and hugged Davin before also giving him a light scolding. He thanked the officer for finding him. The wife had then scoffed, again accusing Yuugi and Yami of trying to kidnap her son. The husband was confused, obviously not yet aware of what had happened.

Yuugi stayed close to Yami, taking comfort in the connection between their hands.

"Please, all of you come with me." Said the officer.

He lead them all to a separate room, a desk and several chairs on the other side. It was obviously a space used for investigations much like this one. Yuugi and Yami sat in their chairs, the couple and their son sitting in the others. The officer shuffled some papers on the desk, asking their names and preparing his notes before speaking.

"My name is officer Takahiro." Said Takahiro. "First I would like to hear from you, Risu." He indicated the wife, who held Davin on her lap tightly.

"I was with my husband, by one of the food stands in the festival." She said. "I was talking to my husband about what to get, when I realized that Davin wasn't with us anymore. I called for him, but he didn't answer. I went looking for him in the crowd while my husband came here to see if he had come to the police station like he had taught him when he gets lost."

Her voice became colder now, turning to glare at Yuugi and Yami. "Then I saw him, walking with these two and heard my boy say that they had lured him away with promises of sweets and games."

"We did no such thing." Said Yuugi, unable to help herself.

"Please do not interrupt." Said Takahiro. "It is not your time to speak yet."

Yuugi bit her lip, quieting her frantic protests. She wanted them to understand they hadn't deceived the boy.

"Is there anything else you want to add?" said the officer.

"Just that I hope you will make sure they are punished to the full extend of the law." She said. "We need to keep dangerous people like these two off the streets. I bet they sell drugs as well as kids to those strange gangs."

Now that was just going too far. The accusations were slowly becoming wilder and wilder. Yuugi looked again to Yami, but he still wasn't showing what he was thinking. He was in full business mode, face a complete mask of no emotions as he exuded power and control.

The officer took some notes before nodding to the husband.

"What is your part of the story?" said the officer.

"Basically what my wife already told you." Said the husband. "We were waiting for some food and Davin was just gone. I came here and then you all showed up."

The officer took more notes, Yuugi shifting as she waited for her turn, desperately thinking of what she was going to say. She didn't want to mess up and get them into trouble. But the next person the officer addressed wasn't them. It was Davin.

"Davin." Said the officer. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"AH ummm. I guess." Said Davin, glancing at his parents. They both reassured him, nodding their heads and prompting him to speak. Even Yuugi was silently pushing him to tell the officer the truth.

"I was standing with mom and dad." Said Davin. "And then I saw these two people. They looked nice and asked me to come over with them."

 _What?!_

That wasn't how it happened. He had found them by running into them, thinking he had found his mother. Why was he lying? She felt Yami's hand tighten and realized she wasn't the only anxious. Yami's expression had turned darker, bordering on anger.

"I went and they took me to different places." Continued Davin. "Said that if I was good they would take me to a special stand with lots of candy to choose from."

Yuugi was full on gaping now. All three of the other adults were now glaring harshly at Yami and Yuugi, no pity in their eyes.

"That's not what happened." Said Yuugi weakly.

"Are you saying my son is a liar?" said the mother.

That was exactly what Yuugi was saying. She had no idea what to do in this situation.

"Yuugi." Said Yami, his voice bringing her out of her panic. "Let me handle this."

She looked at him before nodding. He probably had more experience dealing with these sorts of things. He did have Marik as a half-brother after all. Right?

"Officer Takahiro." Said Yami. "You have heard the story from their perspective, now would you like to hear it from ours?"

The officer indicated for Yami to talk. Yami told their story of how they had been talking to each other when the boy had mistaken Yuugi as his mother. They had then looked for the parents and been on their way to the police station. Once they finished, the police officer asked Davin if that's what happened.

Davin shook his head.

"They told me to go with them." He said, glancing at his parents again. "She doesn't even look like my mommy."

This was ridiculous. Yuugi was not going to get her clean record tarnished by a random boy who was ling through his teeth. That was just sad! She was in complete denial at this point. Who the heck accused two teenagers out on a date of trying to kidnap a kid?

"Well, I think that's enough for now." Said the officer. He pointed at Yami and Yuugi. "You two will stay here. The rest of you are allowed to go."

"What?"

The couple stood, thanking the officer for taking two dangerous people off the streets. Yuugi was in shock, completely thrown that the officer would doubt them so easily without any evidence. She looked at Davin, again lost on why the boy had lied. He was looking straight at her, licking those caped lips nervously before breaking eye contact.

 _He knows it's wrong to lie. It's making him nervous._

That was the immediate thought in Yuugi's head. She didn't even register that Yami was now arguing with the officer and parents about proper protocol of the police. She followed her instincts, saying the first thing that came to her head.

"Did you know that the police are allies of justice?" said Yuugi.

Everyone in the room paused to look at her, completely confused. Only Davin looked like he understood.

"What are you on about?" asked the husband, frustrated with Yuugi.

"Your son likes the rescue rangers." Said Yuugi. "He told us while we were looking for you with him, and the police men are good people, allies of justice that are on the side of the rescue rangers. So if you lie to a police man, what does that make you?"

"A bad guy!" cried Davin, looking horrified at the thought. Before Yuugi could go farther, Davin was shushed by his mother.

"Davin, that's enough." Then she looked at Yuugi. "Don't talk to my son."

"I don't want to be a bad guys." wailed Davin, who looked shattered by the news. His mother was again trying to shush him, a new desperation to her pleas. "Bad guys aren't nice. They're mean."

"Ok, I think it's time to go." Said the husband, trying to usher his wife and son out of the door.

"Wait just a moment you three."

Apparently Yuugi wasn't the only one that had noticed their strange behavior. The police man motioned to the couple's seats, the way he looked at them different from before.

"What's there to discuss?" said the mother. "They tried to kidnap my son. He said so himself."

"NO!"

Davin was crying now, big alligator tears sliding down his face as he wailed. "I didn't want to! I don't want to lie anymore mom. I don't want to be the bad guy!"

Davin's cries made it impossible to hear anything said soon after that, his parents completely failing to shush him. Yuugi herself was speechless. Had they seriously told their son to go and pretend to be lost so they could later lie and accuse Yami and Yuugi of trying to kidnap him? For what purpose? It made no sense.

"If I could have you three sit down, we can continue this discussion." Said the police man.

Now it was the parents turn to be on guard, they quickly started trying to explain their son's words. They were flustered, fidgety as their position was changed from victim to suspect.

"He's just tired from walking around all day. He doesn't mean that don't you sweetheart?"

"It's past his bed time. He says lots of strange things."

They continued to try and explain their son's outburst, each denial just chipping away at their façade. The police man was having none of it, sternly telling them to take their seats again, all the time, Davin's wailing echoing in the small room. It was staring to make Yuugi's ears hurt.

Finally, Yami's voice cut through the noise.

"Did you seriously include your own child in this scheme?"

Everyone in the room flinched. The room seemed to drop several degrees as they all shivered.

Yami was livid. When he became like this, no one could stop him. His presence filled the room, pulling all of their fear and attention towards him. Davin was shocked out of his tears, staring blankly at Yami. Even Yuugi felt the compulsory need to apologize to Yami for no good reason.

"What sort of irresponsible selfish parent would ask their child to do something like this?" continued Yami, voice low yet powerful. "If you want to mess up your lives, don't drag your children down with you. What sort of example are you setting for him?"

"Y-you don't have the right to-" started the wife, but she was cut off as Yami continued.

"I don't have the right? For heaven's sake, your child is six years old! You just made him to lie to the police and run off with a bunch of strangers. What if we really had been kidnappers? You never would have seen your son again."

Yuugi placed a hand on Yami's shoulder. Her boyfriend shut his mouth, recognizing her signal. That what he had said was enough. The mother looked completely broken, while the husband appeared to be in shock. Yuugi wasn't sure what was going on, but she knew those were not the reactions of people that didn't care. Yami's words had penetrated their conscious.

Yami took a deep breath, still slightly trembling in anger. He turned to the police officer, who had become as useless as the parents. Yami pulled out his wallet, handing the officer a card.

"If you need us again, call this number." Said Yami. "My lawyer will handle the details."

The officer took the card, looking at it before his eyebrows shot up.

"This is Seto Kaiba's personal group of lawyers." Said the man. He obviously thought it was a joke.

"You didn't get my surname." Said Yami. "It's Sennen. Kaiba is my cousin. Good day."

The officer's face turned white. Yami didn't seem to notice as he had already started walking out of the room. Yuugi hesitated, looking back at the shocked family.

She rummaged in her stack of winnings from the festival, pulling out short doll of the yellow rescue ranger. She walked to Davin, kneeling in front of him, heedless of everyone watching her. She held it in front of him.

"This is for you." Said Yuugi, smiling. "Tyler isn't usually well liked since he's considered a side kick, but he's my favorite. Do you know why?"

Davin shook his head.

"Because he was clumsy." Said Yuugi. "He was always in trouble and doing things wrong, but every time he made a mistake, he would keep trying to be better and eventually becoming the pillar of the team. It's okay to mess up every now and again, as long as you do better next time. That's what I learned from Tyler, and that's why he's my favorite."

Davin took the toy, giving Yuugi a big smile. Yuugi smiled herself, nodding to the bewildered parents before walking to the door where Yami was waiting for her. They left quickly. This time Yuugi was the one that took Yami's hand as they walked.

"I never want to go to a police station again." sighed Yuugi.

* * *

 **Thank you my friends for your reviews! vcjb242, ForeverWildfire2.0, , Hiei Dragon Girl, RequiemRein, justsomeone, whitlaw123, Lily D. Cave SkyNakama27, Bravemaridin, Money100, Werezoroark, Mistoka RenMow11, ASHLEYDACYAT:, devilface1034. You all are beautiful/handsome/suave!  
**

 **Still about to leave in a few days for a few weeks. Each time I post I think it will be the last time... third time's the charm? (Maybe not cause I'm really looking forward to the next chapter after this one.)**

 **Lily D. Cave, you are quite observant! As you can see after reading the chapter, there was more going on to this situation, though it wasn't in the direction you predicted. XD SkyNakama27, agreed. Yay pokemon. Almost put a pokemon Go reference 'cept they don't have it in Japan yet.**

 **devilface1034, welcome back! and no, Yami can't read her mind. They are just that close. If anyone thinks it's unrealistic, let me tell you that my friend (who is an ex, but is still an awesome best friend after we got through the weird phase) knows me so well all he has to do is look at me and he can tell from my face what I think about something that just happened. Sometimes before I even realize it myself. It's amazing actually. Sometimes I wonder why he's an ex. O.o**

 **Haha. Oh guest. You made me laugh pretty hard. Yes, cuss me out, because that means you are experiencing a strong emotion due to the awesomeness of my story. Unless it's just crap and that's why you're cussing me out, that could work too.**


	70. Chapter 70

**I couldn't help it. I should be packing, but instead I'm writing this. Ok, this is the absolute _last_ chapter before I leave. More to come in later weeks. Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 70

Twenty minutes later, the two of them had taken up refuge in a coffee shop. They ordered drinks before sitting down in one of the booths. Yuugi sipped her hot chocolate as she observed Yami closely.

He had taken off his beanie, the spikes of his hair were slightly crooked from being cramped in a hat all evening. Their coats were discarded, resting in the empty spaces beside them. He had been almost entirely silent since leaving that police station, only speaking to ask if she wanted to stop by a coffee shop. Other than that; silence. She could tell by the slight crease between his eyebrows that he was thinking hard and that the thoughts weren't entirely pleasant. He hadn't taken a drink of his coffee, nor had he noticed that Yuugi had paid for both of them.

She let him ponder for a few more minutes before deciding it was time to talk. There were only a few things that could get Yami this lost in thought.

"So… you don't like your coffee?" said Yuugi.

Yami's eyes focused, finally joining the present. He took a dink of his coffee, then gagged.

"This is awful, what did you get me?" he said.

"Black coffee." Said Yuugi, taking a sip of her own drink. "I thought it might bring you back from whatever faraway land you were in."

Yami sighed, pushing the drink away from him. He leaned forward in the seat, elbows on the table and mouth pressed against the clasped hand in front of him.

"Sorry." Said Yami. "I've been thinking… about what just happened."

"At the police station?" said Yuugi. "I've been wondering about that too. Why did they try to get us into trouble? They didn't seem the sort of people to do something like that, and why us? Were we just unlucky to be their target? It's just so strange."

"I'm sure it wasn't random." Said Yami.

"Why do you say that?"

"I think it's all connected." Said Yami. "It would make sense. She is never one to play fair."

"Translation?"

Yami took a deep breath. "I think we were set up… by my mother."

"Your mother?" That was a surprise. Out of all of the people trying to get them in trouble, his mother was the last person she would have guessed to do this. "Why do you think that?"

"Because she doesn't approve of us dating."

Another shock, though this one shouldn't have been a surprise. Yuugi stared at Yami, wondering why he hadn't mentioned something so important. Now that she thought about it, it had been a long time since he had mentioned his parents or complained about them, and Yami did always have something to complain about when it came to his parents. They were very controlling from what Yuugi understood, though she had never met them.

"So they don't approve." Said Yuugi, thinking out loud. "How does this translate into her trying to get us arrested?"

"I'm honestly not sure." Said Yami. "But it's the only explanation I could think of. It wouldn't be below her to pull something like this."

Yuugi tapped on her coffee cup, thinking.

"This is what's been bothering you isn't it?" said Yuugi. "It's about your parents."

"It is." Said Yami. "Well, part of it."

Yuugi waited for Yami to elaborate. They had reached the point where it required patience to pull something out of him. She stayed quiet as she watched him gather his thoughts.

"I promised you an explanation Yuugi." He said. "And I think now is the a good a time as any to explain. I'm not sure where to start, except that I guess it all began when they found out we were dating. You remember that they were unhappy that I liked a guy correct?"

Yuugi nodded, remembering the comment from around the drama with Ryuji.

"They learned I was dating a girl, and got upset that I hadn't said anything." Said Yami. "So they investigated who you were and learned that you had emerged recently and that you were the guy I liked."

"They investigated me?" said Yuugi. "That sounds like a TV drama."

"It's actually pretty common for them to employ personal investigators." Said Yami. "They want to avoid as many scandals as possible, but that's beside the point. The thing is, they weren't happy when they learned who you were and told me to break up with you or else they would disown me when I hit 18."

"What?" Yuugi gave a shaky laugh. That was ridiculous. "Surely they are kidding. They wouldn't really disown you would they?"

"They would." Said Yami, his expression darkening. "They threatened to kick me out, write me out of their wills and get rid of any chance of me inheriting the family business."

Yuugi's amusement turned into dread as she realized Yami wasn't kidding. They really had threatened to disown Yami if he didn't break up with her. Yami kept going, no longer looking at her as he talked. His eyes and hands were now in his lap, blonde bangs partially covering his face.

"I refused to listen to them." He continued. "We fought for a long time, but they eventually compromised with me. They gave me two conditions to keeping both you and my inheritance. The first was that I had to attend a business school in Tokyo as soon as I graduated. The second, was that they had to personally approve of you as my girlfriend."

Yuugi just stared at him, her mind running at a million miles per hour. She was full of so many different emotions he wasn't sure how to react. Guilt, hope, fear, irritation, courage, confusion. She was feeling them all and more.

But the emotion that dominated them all was anger.

Yuugi slammed her hands on the table, standing up as she roared at Yami.

"WHAT THE ACTUAL FREAKING HELL YAMI!?"

It had hurt to yell that loudly. She ignored the burning in her throat, opting to transfer that scorch into her eyes as she glared at Yami.

"You're mad." Said Yami. He seemed surprised by the fact.

"Oh, I'm not mad." Said Yuugi. "I'm flippin pissed! Why would you keep something like this quiet for so long? This isn't some little dirty secret like porn books under your bed. This is a big deal! It's completely centered on our relationship and will affect both of us directly. And you thought it was okay for you to keep this to yourself for so long without consulting me? Are you an idiot!?"

"Yuugi-" started Yami, but she cut him off.

"Or maybe you don't see me as an equal partner. After all, Yuugi Mutou is just an accessory to the great Yami Sennen. She will never be his equal."

Anger flickered in Yami's eyes and she knew she had touched a sore spot. He had always hated that comment when people muttered it to her at school.

Before he could say anything however, one of the employees had come over to them.

"Please have your discussion somewhere else." He said, folding his arms and glaring at them. "You're disturbing the other customers."

Yuugi glanced around, some of her anger abating as she noticed the few other occupants in the room were all staring at them. She looked down at her coffee cup, which was now spilling dark brown liquid all over the table. It must have fallen over when she had slammed her hands on the table.

"Sorry." Said Yuugi, grabbing the cup and a handful of napkins. She quickly cleaned up most of the mess, grabbing her things before walking towards the door and throwing the pile in the trash. She didn't even bother putting on her scarf or jacket as she raced out of the store, not watching to see if Yami had followed. He had, and he caught up to her a second later, despite her fast pace that was fueled by her anger as she huddled within herself against the cold. It was dark out by now and the temperature had dropped significantly.

"Yuugi, wait."

Yuugi didn't stop, unable to now that she had started moving. She felt horrible, responsible for his situation. She was probably going to cause him to lose his whole inheritance and cause the fall out with his family. Just because she wasn't born from some rich family or whatever it was that would make her worthy of dating him. The guilt was already tearing at her insides.

"I said stop."

Hands grabbed her arm and she finally stopped, head down. She didn't dare face him, not sure what to expect. There was a tense silence as they both just stood on the sidewalk, the area empty of almost everyone but them. She could hardly breathe, the frigid air stinging against her sore throat.

She didn't know why she was acting like this. So freaked out by the situation. She felt vulnerable, exposed, afraid that Yami might decide she wasn't worth it. She had given him her heart, though he didn't know it, and she wasn't confident that it would weight equal against his inheritance. Not when Yami was so much… more than her. He wanted her now, but what about in the future?

Finally, Yami said something.

"I'm sorry Yuugi."

Yuugi slowly looked up, unsure what she would see. She met red, a fire the glowed hot in the dark night. Yami was looking at her in a way she had never seen before. It spoke of purpose, a resolve that rooted her to the spot.

"I'm sorry." He repeated again, his deep voice enticing her. "For not consulting you. I realize now it was entirely selfish of me."

Yuugi chewed on her bottom lip, her heart beating faster.

"There no way it's worth it." Said Yuugi, voice so quiet it almost didn't come out. "That I'm worth the risk. You… should think of yourself Yami. I won't blame you if you want to break up with me."

As she said it, the truth of her outburst hit her. The back of her eyes started to burn with unshed emotions. This was why she was angry. Because getting angry was better than falling apart. Yami had only refused to break up with her because of his sense of duty. He had asked her out, so of course he wouldn't dump her. It was his stupid considerate pride that prevented him from doing what he wanted to do. He didn't actually-

Yami moved towards her so suddenly she backpedaled, her back hitting the wall of a store. He invaded her space, resting a forearm against the brick beside her head. Her eyes doubled in size as Yami's face got closer, an intensity framing his every move. Never had she seen this side of him directed at her like this. The more aggressive part of him.

"Don't say that." Said Yami, a rumble of anger in his voice. "Don't you ever say that. Do you not realize how important you are to me?"

"I… don't know, I just…"

She trailed off, not sure what to say.

"Yuugi." Said Yami, fervor in his voice. "Do you know why I didn't tell you about any of this? Why I kept it to myself? It wasn't because I was trying to decide what to do. I wasn't trying to figure out if you or money was more important. I hesitated because a part of me was… _is_ terrified that when you learned about all of this… you would leave me."

A ripple of shock ran from the tip of her head all the way to her feet. It made her hairs stand on end, seeped into her bones and made her feel like she had been hollowed out. She couldn't speak, instead watching dumbly as Yami continued to stare intently at her, as if he could see through to her very soul.

"I'm not confident Yuugi." He said. "I'm selfish, impatient, quick to anger, and I have a lot of pride. There are some days where I don't like myself, but when I'm with you, I feel like I can be better. I am better. You bring out the best of me. You don't understand-"

Yami cut himself off, grinding his teeth in apparent frustration. He broke eye contact, glaring at a spot somewhere near her left shoe. His voice was lower now, but it hadn't lost any of its strength.

"You're my light Yuugi." He said. "It's not worth it without you there. None of it is."

Slowly, the words began to click inside her head, each new declaration causing her face to turn a shade darker red. She couldn't speak, her heart too full to even begin to express the way she felt at that moment. The unshed tears turned from anguish to joy, one of them overflowing from her eyes and trailing down her cheek. She was so happy, she wanted to tell him. To somehow let him know how much he meant to her. So she spoke the first thing that came to her head.

"I love you Yami." She said. "I want to-"

She didn't get to finish her thought. Yami was kissing her, his lips rough and forceful as they smashed with her own. She dropped whatever she had been holding. In an instant she was completely overwhelmed by the fervor by which Yami was kissing her. He pressed his whole body flush against her, her back anchored by the wall he had pinned her to.

One of his hands went to her lower back, pulling her somehow closer to him. She couldn't keep track, unsure of where her own hands were. Her entire attention was zeroed in on all the places Yami was touching her, every brush of her skin and lips. It felt so good, being entirely consumed like this.

She gave a quiet yelp surprise when she felt his hand delve beneath her shirt, his rough hands caressing her skin. Her exclamation gave Yami an opening, and he took the moment to deepen the kiss. And oh, this was a completely new sensation. His tongue was inside her mouth, tasting and exploring the area. She tried to fight back, her weak resistance soon overwhelmed by his hunger. She was falling, falling harder and faster than she had before. Every coherent thought was slipping through her fingers before they could form. She wanted to-

The snap of her bra strap unclasping brought her out of her trance. Yami's hand had traveled all the way up her back. Her surroundings immediately rushed back into her, remembering that they were currently making out right in front of a shop. She tried to back away and break the kiss.

"Yami, we- mmphh, nngh- stop! We shouldn't- hmmph! – this isn't - Yami!"

Finally, she pushed him away, panting hard and out of breath. He was still wrapped around her, bodies pressed against each other. She kept her head down, heat starting to creep up her face as it dawned on her where they had been heading. His hand was still under her shirt, but thankfully she had managed to push it down to safer areas.

"Yami, we shouldn't do this." she whispered

"And why not?" said Yami. He began kissing the lining of her jaw, trailing kisses down her neck to her collar. "Is this too much for you?"

Yuugi tilted her head out of reflex, giving Yami better access to her exposed neck. Her brain began to fill with fluff again, becoming a useless accessory organ to her current desires. He was now sucking just above the collar of her shirt, her body pooling with heat in reaction to the ministration.

"That's not… It's not a good idea." She said, trying to think through the haze. "We shouldn't… not here Yami."

He wasn't listening. His hand had again begun to creep upwards, this time at the front of her shirt.

And that's where Yuugi snapped. She balled her hand into a fist, pounding into the top of his head as she roared.

"I said STOP!"

Yami staggered backwards, rubbing this scalp. She looked around, frantic. Her face turning green when she saw a few other people in the area, glancing over at them subtly as if they had been watching the whole scene.

"That hurt." Grumbled Yami, who was still rubbing the top of his head. "There was no need to hit me that hard."

Yuugi couldn't answer, so completely humiliated and so quickly brought down from her high that her emotions were a mess. Her brain began to show her images of where they had been going, what would have happened if Yuugi hadn't stopped him. And now her face was on fire, eyes bulging from the details of her imagination.

"Yuugi, are you alright?"

Yami was looking at her now, concern and fear lacing his face. Perhaps if she had been thinking properly she would have been able to discern what he was thinking. Instead, she just lowered her head, too embarrassed to meet his eye.

"Yuugi, please look at me." Said Yami, his voice trembling. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. I didn't mean to go so far. When you said that you- I just couldn't stop."

At another time she would have appreciated the fact that Yami was flustered. Something that almost never happened. Instead she shook her head, her throat too constricted to talk.

She saw Yami try to reach out to her before stopping, hesitant to touch her. Her brain finally started working. She realized that Yami probably thought she was upset at what he had done. The truth was, she hadn't disliked it. In fact, her body had enjoyed it. A lot. More than she thought was possible. She already craved to continue what they had been doing, making her frame shiver at the memory. There was no way she could say this out loud, yet she needed to somehow show Yami that everything was okay.

Yuugi pushed away from the wall, walking the two steps to Yami and wrapping her arms around him. She buried her face into his chest, hiding her red cheeks from the world.

"Not here." She muttered against his shirt. "Later… when we're alone."

Her blush had spread to her exposed ears, and she tightened her hold around Yami's middle. She was completely mortified, but she didn't let go.

Yami returned the hug, kissing the top of her head.

"Later." He agreed, the smile obvious in his voice.

* * *

 **Let's be honest. I just wanted a shameless make out scene. Btw, that's as intense as any scene will get. No lemons/limes/whatever the heck the terminology is here.  
**

 **Thank you for your reviews!** **Deji princess, guest, just someone, Hiei Dragon Girl, RenMow11, ASHLEYDACYAT, Unitato722, Money100, SkyNakama27, Mistoka, RequiemRein, ForeverWildfire2.0, whitlaw123, Jaylonni Love and XxIV-ILLUSIONISTxX. oh, and a last minute review from** **Madolche Anjelly. I was literally finishing this when I saw your new review. Nice!  
**

 **All that was going through my head was sternocleidomastoid. That was where Yami trailed down with his kisses… 'cept most people don't know what muscle that is so I can't use that. Gaaahhh! Curse you A &P.**

 **So far Davin is not scheduled to reappear in the story. Just a one time character, but I reserve the right to retract and eat that statement at a later time.** **RequiemRein, lol. Yup, I've been guilty of playing computer games in the middle of college classes. Hey, I've got to stay awake somehow.**

 **More details to come in the story, but I'm gone. For real this time. Adios amigos!**

 **-King of doors.**


	71. Chapter 71

Chapter 71

Eventually the weather got to Yuugi. She shivered, cold even in Yami's embrace. Yami rubbed his hands up and down her back, the movement meant to keep her warm.

"Are you ready to come out?" he asked?

"Maybe." muttered Yuugi. She eventually peaked out, glaring at Yami. "Don't ever try that in public again. You will get hit a lot harder next time."

"I'm sorry." Said Yami again, looking guilty. "I wasn't thinking."

That much was obvious. Yuugi finally detached from him, awkwardly trying to re-clasp her bra without going under her shirt. She glared at Yami when he looked like he was going to offer to help her. Eventually she got at least one clasp on, though it was probably on the wrong one. She didn't care, throwing on her jacket and scarf. She gathered the rest of her stuff from the festival, Thankfully the fish was still alive… at least for now. Only then did she turn back to Yami.

"We need to talk about the thing with your parents."

Yami nodded. "Let's go to your home and talk there. It's too cold out here."

Yuugi agreed before she stopped, her mind thinking about going home. Alone. With just Yami. Her previous words came to her attention and she stiffened in fear.

"Umm, when I said later, I didn't mean…"

She floundered uselessly, the pink creeping back up her face. Hopefully he understood that later had meant later along in their relationship. He appeared to understand her spastic gesture.

"First off, your grandpa is home." said Yami. "Second, if you're not ready for that, I won't press you." He frowned at himself. "I say that, but I completely went past the line tonight. I'm really sorry Yuugi. For not checking myself. I shouldn't have done anything without your permission. I'll be better in the future, but if I go too far again, don't hesitate to hit me."

"You're forgiven." muttered Yuugi. She _had_ enjoyed it for the most part, bu she wasn't sure if she was truly at that point yet. "Why do I have to be the responsible one here?"

Yami gave a cheeky grin, leaning down and practically purring in her ear. "Because I'm not the one who's completely irresistible."

The combined effect of his voice and the hungry way he was looking at her made her face heat up. Yami's behavior was so disconcerting. Again he was showing her a new part of himself, a part that had been hidden for so long he wasn't practiced at controlling it. If she had to guess, he had finally stopped holding back like she'd told him to, the dam bursting after she had said that she loved him.

They had reached a new milestone in their relationship. She'd again have to get used to the affection he enjoyed showering her with. She really was lucky to have someone like Yami that liked her. After today, she felt like she would never doubt that fact again.

"Stupid smooth talker." She muttered. "You seem to be in a good mood."

Yami's smile softened. "How can I not be? My beautiful girlfriend just said she loves me. If you want I could fly."

"Let's find a building and test that theory." muttered Yuugi, a little embarrassed by what he had said. It took her a second to realize he had just quoted a movie.

* * *

They made it home soon after. Yuugi hurried inside, pulling out some blankets from the closet and throwing them on the couch. As she started to snuggle in, her gramps came out of his room into the living room.

"Welcome home." said gramps. "How was your date?"

Yuugi briefly thought about everything that happened tonight. The restaurant, the festival, the police station, and finally at the coffee shop. Talk about a memorable first date.

"It's not quite over yet." Said Yami as he walked in, having just come from the bathroom. "Yuugi and I have a few things we need to talk about."

"Trouble in paradise?" said gramps, raising his eyebrows at Yami. "Well, I'll let you kids talk. And no fooling around you two! Remember your promise Yami."

Thankfully gramps didn't see Yuugi's face turn red. She concentrated on burying herself further into the blankets as her grandpa left and shut the door to his room. She felt Yami sit beside her, pulling at the blankets to let himself in.

"You're adorable when you're embarrassed." Said Yami.

"A fact you're thoroughly enjoying." Said Yuugi. "I don't appreciate being called adorable."

"Too feminine a term for you?"

"Yes!"

"Then what about cute?"

She popped out of the covers to give him a flat stare.

"I'll take that as a no." said Yami.

Yami scooted closer, wrapping an arm around Yuugi. She leaned against him, head on his chest as she slowly warmed up. They sat there for a little bit, both lost in their thoughts and enjoying each others company. Yami's hand was lightly sliding up and down her arm, more of an unconscious movement than anything else.

"Can you tell me more about what they said?" said Yuugi. "With your conversation with your parents?"

Yami grimaced, evidently uncomfortable in telling Yuugi more, but she gave him a stare that said she was not going to back down. He gave a sigh.

"Alright then." He said. "I'll tell you a little more."

* * *

 _Yami's Perspective_

 _(Between Chapter 47-48)_

Yami descended the stairs, his trepidation rising with each step. He wasn't sure how angry his parents were going to be at the knowledge he was dating someone. Kaiba wasn't one to exaggerate, so probably pretty angry. Oh joy.

It took him a while to locate his mother, Izumi, but he eventually found her. She was in her work room with one of her employees. An assortment of pins rested between her lips as she tweaked with some fabric on the manikin. Izumi pulled one out, pressing it against the fabric before noticing Yami.

She pulled the rest of the pins from her mouth, laying them down on the counter as she talked to her employee.

"Keep pinning it like this. Make sure to watch where the pattern lines up. Now, what do you want Yami?"

"Where's dad?"

"He'll be home soon." She said, only giving him half of her attention, obviously in the middle of designing a new line of summer dresses. Izumi owned her own line of clothes she designed alongside her panel of fashion designers. The brand, _Millennium_ , had everything to clothes, shoes, and makeup. It was only a small fraction of the Sennen company's source of revenue, but it was still famous worldwide.

"We need to talk." Said Yami.

"Not now." Said Izumi. "When dad gets home, we will all talk."

Yami never appreciated it when she was too busy to talk to him, yet she insisted he drop everything to make time for her interruptions… and what they entailed.

The sharp look in her eye told him she knew what it was about, so he kept his mouth shut. He needed to save his energy for the real fight. Now was not the time.

He went to the sitting room, knee bouncing up and down as she waited for his father to come home. His mind wasn't quiet as he sat, thinking of how best to sooth their anger and get off his back about who he dated.

The cell in his pocket gave a small shake, and he pulled out his phone. A smile crossed his lips as he recognized it from Yuugi. He chucked as he scrolled down the message, tapping on the screen to get a better look at the photo she had attached. It was a picture of a face swap with her and Kaiba. Apparently it had been voted the best between her and Jou during their evening out. The usually stern man now looked ridiculous with eyes five times bigger than usual, a kind smile on his face. Next to him was Yuugi, her round face all but swallowing the small blue eyes of Kaiba.

He couldn't help chuckling, wondering what Kaiba would say if he ever saw this.

His good mood was ruined by the sound of the front door shutting. He could hear his father telling the servants to get his coffee ready. That wasn't a good sign. Aknamkanon only had coffee in the evening when he was especially stressed or angry. Great.

Yami stood up, following the sound of his father. He found him in the kitchen. Aknamkanon was sitting in one of the chairs, a hand to his forehead in frustration. The emotion grew as Yami entered, new wrinkles lining his brow.

"Sit down." He said firmly.

"Welcome home to you too father." Said Yami, sitting down in a seat.

The man's eyebrow twitched.

"As your father, you should show me proper respect." He said. "I will not tolerate your mouth tonight, is that clear?"

"Very." Said Yami, his heart sinking. His father was in a _very_ bad mood. This was not going to be good. The door opened and his mother entered, taking her own seat at the table. A maid followed behind, offering Aknamkanon his coffee before leaving. Aknamkanon took a long drink.

"You shouldn't drink that before dinner dear." Said Izumi.

"I need it for my headache." Said Aknamkanon, rubbing his temples. "Some idiot in the office overbooked my schedule, and I had to run across town to meet with the Ishtar company and then hurry to Kaiba corp. I skipped lunch and haven't had a break." Here he glared at Yami. "Then I was told some very interesting news. Something I hope is a lie, but doubt it is, since Kaiba seemed aware of it."

Yami didn't say anything. Aknamkanon drank the last of his coffee, filling another cup with the pot the maid had left.

"Are you currently dating someone?" said Aknamkanon.

"I am." Said Yami.

"Is it that Yuugi person your mother told me about?"

"It is."

"And did you not hear your mother say you were not allowed to date him, or any other boy for that matter?"

"Her words no longer apply." Said Yami. "Yuugi emerged as a female some months ago. Her gender is no longer a problem."

"Of course it's still a problem!" said Aknamkanon, his anger rising. "If she just barely emerged, she must have been in her late teens. To emerge so late is strange. It's no better than dating a man."

"Which I would have no problem with." Said Yami.

Aknamkanon banged his hand on the table, the mug clattering against the wood.

"It does not matter what you have a problem with! I will not allow you to date this Yuugi person."

"And why not?" said Yaim, his own temper rising with his father's shouting. "What do you know about her that makes you oppose her so much?"

"She's not suitable for you." Said Aknamkanon. "I will only allow you to date a girl from a respectable family that can meet your needs. Not some nobody no one knows anything about. Your grandfather poured his blood a sweat into this company and you will inherit it after I grow older. I will not have all that hard work be brought down because of one incompetent woman."

"And how in the world would she managed to bring down the entire company?" said Yami, completely thrown by his father's leap in logic. "I'm just dating her. It's not like I'm asking her to marry me."

 _One hurtle at a time,_ Yami thought to himself. He would like to marry Yuugi, but he needed to win his arguments with his parents one step at a time. That hurdle could come after he got Yuugi's answer.

His mother finally came into the fray, her anger calm, but no less fierce.

"We are not stupid Yami." Said Izumi, voice tight. "You've fancied this person for at least a year, if Ryuji's words are to be taken as truth. You are young, and easily distracted. This could affect your current studies, your future decisions, and distract from what's important. Such is young love, fragile and shallow. You do not truly understand what you want, and we do not want you making bad decisions now because of it."

That last bit made him angry. He didn't know what he wanted did he? Because the ten-year friendship he had with Yuugi – that included more interactions than with his parents- was such a fragile thing.

"What do you know about me and Yuugi's relationship?" he said, voice rising. "What do you even know about me? The two of you are always gone, and when you're home, it's to tell me the next venue to go to, or to order me around!"

"Don't raise your voice at your mother." Said Aknamkanon.

"We are trying to protect you." Said Izumi. "Your name and family prestige are very tempting to those of the lower class. Yuugi only dated you after you confessed. How can you know if her motives are pure?"

Yami couldn't help it. He laughed, the sound laced with a tinge of madness.

"You're lecturing about pure motives?" said Yami, an angry grimace on his face. "Have you not heard two things that I've said about all the girls you make me go out with? They're spoiled painted brats that think they're entitled to everything they want. The only virtue they see in me is my prestige and money."

"But they understand their role here in the society and they have good families." Said Aknamkanon. "And you make a hasty generalization. Not all of them are like that."

No, but every single last woman they had set him up with was. The gold diggers were everywhere.

"Yuugi is not after the company." Said Yami. "She's not such a shallow person." In fact she was the opposite, often befriending those that had been mean to her previously. Most of her current friends consisted of such people. She had friends in all social statuses, universally kind and genuine to everyone. How was she not perfect?

Based on the looks on his parent's faces, they didn't believe him.

"We cannot allow you to continue to date her Yami." Said Aknamkanon. "That is the end of this discussion."

Aknamkanon moved, as if to get up from the table.

"No."

Aknamkanon paused, eyes narrowing as he focused on his son.

Yami was done. He had listened to his parents before, taken their unreasonable requests and did what was asked. He'd gone to every stupid blind date and attended every frivolousness meeting, smiling and playing the part of a good son. But in this, in this he would never budge.

"Did I hear you right?" said Aknamkanon. His voice had gotten lower, the dangerous edge entering it. "Did you just refuse?"

"You heard right." Said Yami, matching his father's low tone. "I will not break up with Yuugi, and I never will. I am in love with her, and have been for four years. She makes me happy and nothing you say will make me change my mind."

"Don't be stubborn boy!" said Aknamkanon. "You are my son, and you will listen to me. I will not tolerate you dating that woman!"

"Too bad. I'm not breaking up with her!"

"No son of mine will date some lowborn leech! Either you break up with her, or you are no longer my son!"

His voice echoed away, leaving behind the ringing silence. Yami's eyes were wide, shocked at his fathers threat. They narrowed a second later, fury burning in them.

"Then so be it." Hissed Yami. "I'll go pack my stuff."

Surprise flashed in Aknamkanon's eyes, but Yami turned, not bothering to look back. Once his father made a decision, he never backed off of it. He translated his business life into in family life, treating his son like a tool. It made his heart writhe thinking that his father would so easily toss him aside.

He heard the sound of a chair scraping.

"The two of you are too close in temper." Said Izumi. "Wait a moment Yami, I believe we may be able to reach an agreement."

Yami paused, his hand on the door handle.

"You refuse to break up with Yuugi." Said Izumi. "And despite your father's anger, we do not want to lose you. You do not realize your talent Yami, and it would be a great blow to the future of this company if we let you walk away."

Yes, because the future of this company was more important than family love. He was so glad his parents had their priorities straight.

"Then let me propose a deal." She continued. "Our main concern of this Yuugi is that she will distract you from your future, as well as bring shame and lower the prestige of the Sennen company. With this in mind, the solution is simple. In exchange for our approval, you must also give us something."

"And what would that be?" said Yami, uncaring. It mattered not what they suggested, he would always choose Yuugi over everything.

"I suggest a condition." Said Izumi. "that I personally approve of Yuugi."

"I wish to add on one more condition." cut in Aknamkanon quickly. "As soon as you graduate, you will attend a business school on Tokyo. There you will graduate in the top ten percent, or I will not agree to this deal."

Yami paused, mulling the decisions over. They were actually pretty reasonable, especially considering that the alternative was being kicked out of his house.

"And these are your only two conditions?" said Yami. "If I go to college and if you approve of Yuugi after meeting her, you will relent."

"Yes." Said Izumi. "You will have until your 18th birthday to have my approval of Yuugi. After that, either you break up with her, or you will no longer be considered a part of this household.'

Yami shook his head slightly. Legally, they couldn't kick him out until then. He knew what this was. It was a wild goose chase meant to distract and control him. Izumi would never approve of Yuugi. She would do her best to show Yami all of Yuugi's faults and 'expose' her true nature as a gold digger. Once she had done that, she would happily set him up with yet another shallow dull woman he had no interest in courting. Her efforts would be fruitless. Yuugi was not a gold digger, and Yami would never back down.

"Looks like I don't have much of a choice in this matter." Said Yami. "But nonetheless, I refuse. The second I turn 18, I'm leaving."

Yami left without looking back, not bothering to watch his parents reactions. He took the stairs two at a time, desperate for some solitude to think. He was making so much noise that Marik stuck his head out of his room.

"You three could use counseling." Said Marik. "I could hear you guys over my speakers."

"Not now Marik." Said Yami. He stomped into his room, slamming it with a bang. It was childish, but better the door than the wall. He still couldn't believe his parents would disown him just because he was dating Yuugi.

"What am I going to do?" thought Yami, running a frustrated hand through his hair. He quickly ran through his list of options. He had plenty of money in his savings, left over from stuff he hadn't spent, but he was still underage. His parents wouldn't probably let him touch it even after he hit 18. He didn't have much in cash, at least not to live with. He'd probably have to get a student loan or scholarship to go to college. Or maybe Yuugi's grandpa would let him live with them. No, he couldn't do that to them. He'd figure it all out.

Yami began pacing his room, thinking. He could always go back and accept their offer, see if Yuugi could get their approval, but then that would mean subjecting Yuugi to his mother and father's scrutiny, and they were not warm people. Yuugi had penetrated others hearts before. Could she do it again? Could she even stand the social pressure of the plastic society he lived in? It was only Yuugi's warmth that made it tolerable for Yami. Besides, she was currently having problems with just the current bullies, but she was also handling it well all things considered. She was much stronger than she looked. There wasn't anyone else Yami could think of that had been able to adjust to emerging as quickly as Yuugi. She was resilient like that.

But then there was the biggest question. The one that made him stop dead in his tracks. Would she even want to bother trying? Did she care about Yami enough to agree to his parents conditions?

Panic instantly shot through Yami. What if she left him because she thought he wasn't worth it? Or what if she didn't want to go to Tokyo with him and decided a long distance relationship wouldn't work? He felt sick of all the different scenarios going through his head. He didn't know what to do.

Yuugi was the only person in his life he didn't want to let go of. Not when they were finally dating.

The thought of her leaving him made him tremble in fear.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **And thank you my friends for all of your reviews and well wishes on my trip! ForeverWildfire2.0, RequiemRein, Hiei Dragon Girl, Jaylonni Love, , whitlaw123, vcjb242, a. , Guest, kaitenzero, SkyNakama27, Madolche Anjelly, Mistoka, Money100, , justsomeone, RenMow11, ASHLEYDACYAT, Unitato722, devilface1034, xSinfulPharaohx, BreakfastForLife, and Deji princess. I am back and alive.  
**

 **kaitenzero, I think that's the best misspelling error I've had yet. I lolled. Thanks for pointing it out.**

 **RequiemRein, I'm right there with you that I believe in waiting until marriage. That being said, the other characters may not have the same beliefs or standards that I have since we dont' ahve the same background or personalities. In fact, there are a lot of things they do/say/believe that I do not share the same opinion in. There are certain lines I will not cross however, hence the no lime/lemon.**

 **Glad I could make you laugh BreakfastForLife! I've had fun writing this story.**

 **Yeah so Yami kinda went a little out of control in the previous chapter as several of you pointed out. But it made sense to me that he would do so. Yami and Yuugi level each other out, Yuugi being the voice of caution and reason while Yami is the reckless and bold one. They've both taken on some attributes of the other, but the base of their personalities are still the same. At least that's how I see it... cause I know the back story of how they became friends in the first place. XD**


	72. Chapter 72

Chapter 72

"Wait… so you didn't agree to their conditions?" said Yuugi. Yami had just finished telling his account of the argument with his parents.

"Not that night I didn't." said Yami. "But later, I told them I'd talk to you and give them an answer at another time. They're still waiting… but for now the plan is to move out when I hit 18, which was always my plan. I don't want to live in that house a second more than I have to."

Yuugi couldn't help frowning. She knew he didn't get along with his parents, but she had never seen him talk with so much venom. She wiggled her toes, gathering he thoughts on what he had told her.

"Yami… do you even what to inherit your parent's business?" She didn't even know what Yami wanted to do in the future. They talked all the time, but that topic had never come up. She had always assumed he would inherent the family business, but she'd never thought to ask if he wanted to. Growing up had seemed such a long way away she had practically blocked from her mind.

"I wouldn't mind it." Said Yami. "I've always had an interest in business. My dad has taken me to a couple different meetings and I've found them fascinating and frustrating. Much like a large challenging game. I think if I learned more about it, I could enjoy it."

"But you're jeopardizing it for me." Said Yuugi, the guilt coming back. To her surprise, Yami chuckled.

"I can work in business anywhere." He said. "I'm not jeopardizing anything by staying with you. My parents are the ones that decided to tie my relationship with you to my inheritance. And above all else, you are my first priority."

Once again, Yami knew what to say to sooth her worries. She went a little pink at his last sentence, unable to stop the happiness building inside of her. It reminded her of something else.

"So…four years you said?" she said. "Is it true?"

It took a second for Yami to grasp what she was saying. When he did, have gave a soft smile and kissed her on the forehead.

"Yes, it's true. I've been in love with you for four years."

"Oh." Said Yuugi.

"Oh? Is that any way to react to someone saying they love you?"

"…Give it a second."

Yami waited. Slowly but surely, Yuugi's entire body turned red. A stupid grin spread across her face as she digested the information, reveling in the knowledge that not only did Yami love her back, but he had been in love with her before she had even considered dating him. It was sweet and filled her with all sort of sickening fluffy feelings that sappy love songs sang about.

Yuugi launched herself at Yami, sending the two of the toppling off the couch so Yami banged his head on the ground.

"Ouch! Yuugi what the-"

"I love you too Yami!" she said, perched atop his chest, beaming as brightly as the sun.

Yami gave a weak smile, rubbing his head with one hand and the other coming up to cup her face.

"We've already established that little one." He said.

Yuugi blinked.

"What did you just call me?" she said.

"Sunshine." Yami lied smoothly.

"Wrong."

"Aibou?"

"That wasn't it."

"Hikari?"

"Where are these nicknames coming from?"

He pulled her down and gave her a long deep kiss. She closed her eyes, surrendering herself to the sensation. They parted, the stupid grin back on her face. Yami himself was smirking

"I think you'd better get off of me." He said. "Or else I might break my promise to your grandfather."

"Can I hit you first? And what promise are you talking about?"

"Just… move before I go crazy."

That got her off of him. She sat up, allowing Yami to do so as well. She moved to get back on the couch, but she was yanked back down to the ground. She let out a cry of surprise as her back hit Yami's chest. He was now hugging her to him, situating her between his legs where he enclosed her in his arms.

"I thought you told me to move." Said Yuugi. She glared at him out of the corner of her eye as he rested his chin on her shoulder.

"You were too slow." He shrugged.

"That's all well and nice." She said. "But we still haven't talked about the important things."

"Like what?" said Yami.

"Like our plan to win over your mother's approval."

Yami's arms around her stiffened, his gaze hardening as he stared at the ground.

"You don't have to go through with any of it." Said Yami. "I don't want to put you in that sort of situation."

"We might as well try." Said Yuugi. "If we get it, you get to keep your inheritance, and if we don't, then it's the same as not trying. You'll move out either way since you don't want to stay there after you hit legal age."

"Don't forget about the other part of the agreement." Said Yami. "I'll have to go to school in Tokyo."

"What's the problem with going there?"

"I don't want to leave you."

Yuugi frowned, her heart touched but also trembling at the answers she was getting. With every word, every reason, she felt as if it all revolved around her. Around him being with her and staying together. Yami was not one that spoke of his feelings freely, in fact, he was notoriously bad at expressing anything but anger and frustration. She only remembered him saying that he liked her indirectly. If she remembered correctly, the quote was something along the lines of _"I still really like you."_ But tonight he had said he'd been in love with her for four years. It had taken him four long years to tell her that.

But seeing him talk like this, making plans around her, she realized that it didn't matter. It had never mattered. She knew Yami well, and she had always known that she was important to him. He spoke with actions, not words, and she found she didn't mind. She didn't need sweet words to remind her, she could see it all in his face and actions.

"You spoil me." She said.

"I'm not sure where that thought came from." Said Yami.

"I think I'll go to a business college in Tokyo too."

Yami's head popped off her shoulder. She turned in his lap, seeing his surprised expression turn to concern.

"Yuugi." He said. "You don't have to go just because I'm going. You should pursue a career you want to."

"And what if I also want to go into business?" said Yuugi, not backing down from his stare. "I've always been helping gramps in the shop, and it's a lot of fun. Plus, if I learn more, maybe it will increase the chance of your parents approving of me."

"Their approval is not important to me." Said Yami.

"But it is to me." Said Yuugi. "They're your family Yami, and I don't want to be the excuse they use to cut you off. You know I'd let that kind of guilt fester for years before having some sort of break down anyway."

Yami hesitated, and she knew he realized she was right. She knew herself too well to know that she'd carry that guilt for a long time.

"That's playing dirty, using your happiness against me." Said Yami. "You know I can't say no when you put it like that."

"I'm starting to realize it." Said Yuugi, an evil grin creeping across her face. "Oh man, I have the great Yami Sennen eating out of my palm. What sort of evil deeds shall I make him perform in pursuit of pleasing his master? Shall I make him- Gahh! Don't pinch me!"

"Sorry master, there was a fly." Said Yami.

She poked him in the side, provoking a pillow in the face from him.

They talked long into the night, her grandpa tactful enough to give them their space. They talked about everything, reminiscing about old times, making plans for the future and plans for now. They talked about their goals and friends, their wildest dreams and what flavors of ice cream they couldn't stand. And the more they talked, the more Yuugi couldn't image her life without Yami. After all, a time like that had never existed.

* * *

 **vcjb242, whitlaw123, Jaylonni Love, Hiei Dragon Girl, MadolcheAnjelly, and** **justsomeone. Thank you, as always, for being awesome and letting me know in the most awesome way that you like reading my story. By leaving a review! It seriously is the best motivation as any writer will tell you. And haha, yay MadolcheAnjelly for a real account thingy! Good luck with whatever that stress thing is justsomeone!  
**

 **I can tell I'm old when I sympathize with both parents and children in arguments. Even ones I created myself. Well... I'm not that old, but old enough to start contributing to society. Yay. But overall, yes, Yami's parents are horrible controlling parents.**

 **Oh, and the movie quote came form the princess bride. It was a subtle one. "If you want I could fly" Princess Buttercup says it after she finds out the masked man is Westley. SPOILERS!**


	73. Chapter 73

Chapter 73

The next morning Yuugi was woken up by the sounds of someone moving around the room. She sat up, rubbing her eyes and glancing around. She was still in the living room, apparently having fallen asleep out there. She looked beside her to see Yami there as well, shifting in a way that told her he was about to wake up. But if he was here, who was moving around the room?

"Wake up you two!" said her grandpa's voice. "Sheesh, it's way past morning sleepy heads."

 _Oh that's right, Grandpa._ Yuugi gave a large yawn, pulling out her phone to look at the time.

"Grandpa, it's eight in the morning." She said. "That is not way past morning, that _is_ morning."

"It wouldn't be if you two hadn't stayed up all night." Said gramps. Yami had finally woken up, blinking his tired eyes at gramps.

"g' morning." He said, rubbing his face with his hands. "Sorry, I didn't mean for this to turn into a sleep over."

"When does it not with you two?" huffed gramps good-naturedly. "As long as nothing indecent happened it's alright."

Yuugi groaned.

"Can you stop that?" she asked.

"Stop what?"

"With your – gah! You know what I'm talking about."

"I will not stop." Said gramps. "If Yami gets you pregnant before you graduate, I will have some very choice words for the two of you. Sex should not be taken lightly you know."

Yuugi's entire body instantly turned red.

"Holy cow, I can get pregnant!" she said, glancing at Yami. It was the wrong thing to do. Even his cheeks were tinged with pink, his embarrassment somehow making hers worse.

"Yes you can." Said gramps. "Which is why you should be careful. Well, also because of STD's and you can-"

"I am not having this conversation right now!" said Yuugi, jumping up on the couch. "Gosh gramps, I just woke up. Are you trying to make me hate the day before it starts?"

"Then how about you help me make breakfast?" said gramps. "It's my day off too you know."

"It would be my pleasure." Said Yuugi, scrambling over the couch to escape into the kitchen. Anything to stop her grandpa lecturing her about abstinence and escape the inquiring eyes of her boyfriend. She had become all too aware last night that Yami was definitely up for that step in their relationship.

Soon the kitchen was a bustle of work as she and gramps made breakfast, Yami helping as well to make his customary French toast. It was a nice calm happy morning, each of them falling into their usual roles. Yami was already a part of their household in so many ways.

"So, do you two have anything planned for today?" said Gramps. He handed Yuugi the plates, who started setting the table.

"I don't know." Said Yuugi, looking to Yami.

"I was actually hoping to meet up with a friend." Said Yami. "I was wanted to bring Yuugi to introduce them to her."

"Really? Who is it?" she said.

"You'll see." Said Yami, ruffling her hair. She batted at his hand, a grin on her face.

The doorbell rang a second later.

"I'll get it." Said Yuugi, hurrying to the front. She opened the door, revealing an unfamiliar woman. Yuugi gaped at them, because holy cow! She looked like a bombshell. The woman had medium length black hair, perfectly swooped ends framing her face. She wore a white ruffle blouse and a dark pencil skirt, long beaded necklace and earrings hanging from her. Her makeup was immaculate, making her face look younger than it was. The sharp eyes were what gave away her identity to Yuugi. They were a familiar crimson, an exotic color she had only seen in one other individual.

The woman, who was most undeniable Yami's mother, peered down at Yuugi, eyes judging and unkind.

"Hi…" said Yuugi weakly. "You must be Yami's mother."

"And you must be his girlfriend." She replied. She extended a hand, which Yuugi shook automatically. She was still somewhat stunned by the sudden appearance.

"Ah, yes I'm Yuugi." Said Yuugi. "What brings you to my home today?" Inwardly she was shaking off her shock, cementing her heart. Yuugi was not going to let this woman bully her around. Her face split into a smile, a mask against her true inner feelings.

"I wish to have a word with you." Said Izumi. "As well as a word with your grandfather. I assume that my son is here as well since he didn't come home last night."

"We were about to eat breakfast." Said Yuugi. "Maybe it would be better if you came at another time."

The woman's eyes narrowed.

"I cannot. Now, I wish to speak to your guardian."

Yuugi inwardly sighed. This was not going to be good. She motioned the woman inside, closing the door and walking her to the living room.

"Hey guys." Said Yuugi, Mrs. Sennen walking behind her. "It looks like we have a visitor this morning."

Both men turned to look and both men gave very different reactions at seeing Izumi's face. Gramps took a second to recognize her before he gave a friendly smile. It was the one he used during business interactions he particularly didn't enjoy. Yami's reaction was to turn to a silent anger, his face becoming hard.

"Mother, what are you doing here?" said Yami.

"I'm here to see Yuugi and her grandfather." Said Izumi. "Your reply was taking too long so I decided to come talk to them myself."

"That wasn't part of our deal." Said Yami.

"There is no deal yet, which is the problem." said Izumi. "You're running out of time, and I'm doing you a favor coming here to straighten things out."

By the look on Yami's face, he didn't think it was a favor.

"Do not fret my boy." Said Gramps, giving Yami a calming pat on the shoulder. "Izumi, it's been a long time. You look as well as if you were thirty."

"A pleasure to see you again as well Sugoroku." Said Izumi, shaking Gramp's hand. Yuugi was taken aback. The two of them had met before?

"Please come in and sit." Said gramps, graciously leading her to the living room. While he did that, Yuugi came over and gabbed Yami's hand. The contact jerked his attention back to her instead of boring a hole into his mother's skull. He gave her a grimace, the frustration not leaving his face. She sent him a silent look that told him that she was there for him, as well as to keep calm. This interrupted their plans to get her approval. They'd have to wing it the best they could.

Izumi glided into the room, taking a seat in the single-seater. The other three made their way to the couch, Yuugi siting between Yami and gramps. Gramps was seated the closest to Izumi, still wearing that business mask smile.

"Can I get you a cup of tea?" he asked her. "Or how about a glass of milk?"

"No need." She said shortly. "I don't have much time, I have another appointment to attended and I'd like to cover everything today."

"Then what can I do for you?" said gramps.

"I'm assuming you are aware that your grandchild is dating my son, correct?"

"Naturally." Said gramps.

"And are you aware of the deal I have made with my son because of this?"

"I am not." Said gramps, his attention never leaving Izumi's face. Yuugi couldn't help glancing at Yami, inwardly hoping that this conversation wouldn't blow up in their face.

"I told Yuugi of the deal last night." Said Yami. "We've discussed it, but her grandpa has not yet been informed."

"I see." Said Izumi, glancing at Yuugi. The gaze was not kind. "Then let me make you aware of the situation Sugoroku. My husband and I do not approve of your granddaughter dating my son."

"Do you now?" said gramps. He didn't sound surprised. "And for what reason do you disapprove of my granddaughter?"

"Honestly, I can't think of one reason why I would approve of her." Said Izumi smoothly. Yuugi had to grab Yami's hand in warning at that sentence. She felt him stiffen, face thunderous. "Her education is mediocre, family connections zero and her physical looks are plain at best. She has no experience with proper etiquette in high society, we know virtually nothing on her personality and temperament, and the worst thing is that she emerged in her late teens. Just one of these could mean political suicide for our company's image. So you see Solomon, I am very concerned for Yami's future."

It was amusing how self-esteem worked. Said from the mouth of Tara, those things had sounded like horrible flaws in Yuugi's repertoire. Now, hearing them later from a woman Yuugi had her guard against, she barely felt a twinge of shame at the stream of accusations. Yuugi had already decided what was important. Most of these 'flaws' Yuugi could change over time with proper teaching. The others just didn't matter.

Yami was still seething, lips pressed tight against each other to refrain from talking. Yuugi's cautious hand was still stopping him. It was important to see how her gramps reacted to this woman. It didn't seem the right time to lash out at her words.

In response, Sugoroku let out a loud laugh, this one genuine. Yuugi was surprised at her grandfather's outburst, Yami as well. Izumi didn't look amused, her expression not changing as gramp's laughter died.

"Excuse me, but I couldn't help myself." Said gramps. "I thought it would be for something important that you would disapprove."

"This is not laughing matter Sugoroku." Said Izumi, but gramps waved a hand at her.

"Yes yes, I know, the future of the company and all that. But how about you explain to me this deal you were talking about."

Izumi pursed her lips, evidently not used to being spoken to like that. "My son refuses to break up with your granddaughter." Said Izumi. "And because I cannot approve of their relationship, I cannot approve of my son inheriting the company. We've come to an agreement that if your granddaughter can get my approval, then not only will I allow them to date, but Yami will also receive his inheritance. If this permission has not been obtained by his 18th birthday and still refuses to break up with your granddaughter, then he will no longer be a part of our family."

"You seriously made a deal like that?" said gramps. "Who disinherits their son over who he chooses to date? You have issues."

"I came here in order to talk sense into the two of you." Said Izumi, ignoring his last comment. "Consider it my first and last curtsy to you both that I warn you, no matter what you do, you will not get my approval."

"And why are you so sure?" said Yuugi, butting into the conversation. She was sick of being talked about as if she wasn't there. The woman hadn't even acknowledged her name since talking to gramps. "What makes you think I can't match your expectations?"

Izumi's eyes went to Yuugi now, narrowing and sweeping over her. "I have already listed several reasons." Said Izumi. "Giving anymore would be redundant. Instead I urge you to break up with my son and save yourself the trouble of disappointment."

"Not going to happen." Said Yuugi smoothly. "I love Yami, and I do not plan to part with him."

"Of course you would say that." Said Izumi. "You have everything to gain from this relationship while Yami has everything to lose. You say that you love him, yet your feelings will cause him to lose everything he has. How can you want that for him?"

"Let us be clear in this." said Yuugi. "You were the one that tied my relationship with Yami's inheritance, not me. My relationship with Yami does not cause him to lose anything."

"You disappoint me." Said Izumi. "You short sightedness and naivety does not give you any credit."

Izumi shook her head, reaching into her purse and pulling something out. She signed something on the paper, ripping it and handing it to gramps. He took the paper, his eyebrows raising.

"I am willing to give you this amount of money for your granddaughter to break up with my son." Said Izumi.

"I have a name you know." Said Yuugi. "It's Yuugi, I'll allow you to use it."

Izumi's eyes again surveyed Yuugi, giving away nothing she was feeling. Gramps was looking at the check, rubbing his chin.

"This is a fair amount of money." He said approvingly. "But I'm afraid it won't be enough to make Yuugi break up with Yami."

"Then I ask you to give me an amount." Said Izumi, pen hovering over her checkbook. "Or perhaps _Yuugi_ would like to name the amount."

Yuugi bristled at the way the woman had said her name like it was a taunt.

"Keep your money." spat Yuugi. "You could sign away the entire company and I wouldn't take it."

"Very well." Said Izumi, closing her checkbook with a snap. She reached inside her bag again, this time pulling out a manila envelope. "Then perhaps this will help you change your mind."

Gramps took the envelope, carefully taking out a sheet of paper inside. His eyes widened at seeing what it was.

"What is it gramps?" said Yuugi.

Her gramps gave her a worried look, the first worried look he'd worn since Izumi had come in. That alone made Yuugi nervous.

"This is the deed to the Kame Game shop." Said Gramps. "The Sennens now own my store."

* * *

 **Thanks for your reviews! Jaylonni Love, Guest 1 and 2, BreakfastForLife, whitlaw123, CakieBakes, Money100, vcjb242, ForeverWildfire2.0, justsomeone, RenMow11, ASHLEYDACYAT, Deji princess, SkyNakama27, and RequiemRein. Seriously, I grin like crazy cause you guys have been cheering for me for much of this journey.**

 **BreakfastForLife, never apologize for long reviews. They are my favorite snack! Even rants give me good insight on what stood out in the chapter or what the readers might be thinking due to it. Justsomeone, do not worry, I do not offend easily. In fact I have no idea what I was supposed to be offended about. If we have differing opinions, I'm glad, because diversity is the spice of life. I believe you can have conflicting opinions without conflict. I may state something that disagrees with everyone's own opinion, but I do not seek to put you down, merely to invite you (and me) to think on the subject in a different way.** **So everyone, continue to post your honest feelings, (but remember to be tactful about it). (understanding other people's opinions is also a great way to help build diverse characters as an author.)** **And now I'm preaching. Woops.**

 **I'm sorry my friends, no one else is scheduled to emerge at this time. Emerging as a late teen is supposed to be super rare. Making more people emerge would be kind of like throwing that fact in the trash. I can't honestly respect my world building abilities and make even more people emerge. Though, if you wish to make a ff where they do all emerge, be my guest. XD**

 **Sometimes I look back at my previous chapters randomly and see some amazing typos and grammar errors. Oh gosh, can you tell I'm not a perfectionist? LOL.**


	74. Chapter 74

Chapter 74

Yuugi stared at the deed, too shocked to make a reaction. Yami however, was perfectly able to, and he was not happy to say the least.

"What the hell!?" said Yami, jumping to his feet. It didn't even register in Yuugi's head that she should stop him. She was still too stunned to do anything. "You didn't seriously buy this shop so you could threaten Yuugi?"

"You need to sit back down." Said Izumi with a snap. It was the first time she had shown any emotion but boredom. Her eyes were now on her son, anger radiating in them. "You should never let your emotions control your behavior."

"Excuse me for not being heartless." Said Yami, matching her tone. "I can't believe you would sink so low as to threaten Yuugi with her home."

"And you've completely lost control of yourself." Said Izumi. "I'm ashamed of you."

"And I'm ashamed to be your son. This is a bitch move, even for you."

"Yami stop!" said Yuugi, grabbing Yami, by the sleeve and tugging at him. He paused, glaring back between Yuugi and his mother. He was past the breaking point. The only thing that had stopped him from launching himself at his mother was probably the face that he didn't hit women. Had it been anyone else that had tried to pull this, Yuugi might not have been able to stop him.

Izumi's eyes had flickered to Yuugi, before going back to her son, her expression tightening for a moment before she sat back calmly in her seat. Gramps, who hadn't said anything during the conflict, cleared his throat.

"Izumi." Said gramps. "May I inquire why you're showing this to me?"

Izumi was still seething internally, but she kept the anger only in her eyes, her voice back to its bored tone.

"It was protocol to inform you that the owner of your shop had switched hands." She said. "I also wished to offer this to Yuugi." She now addressed Yuugi. "If you agree to break up with my son, I will give you the ownership of the shop."

Yuugi's heart was thumping like mad, knowing the offer wasn't as simple as it seemed. Yami was still on his feet, but he had gone silent. She couldn't see his expression, but the hand that still had a hold of his shirt felt him stiffen.

"I…" Yuugi. Then she swallowed, her mind blank. She didn't know what to do. Should she keep Yami, possibly resulting in her grandfather losing his livelihood? As the owner, Izumi could increase their monthly rent or refuse to renew their monthly contract. That would force them to move. The shop was home. Literally, the shop was attached to their living area. It was a place that gramps had so painstakingly built from the ground up.

Or should she take the deed, ensuring that they'd keep their home, but break up with Yami, the person she now loved so dearly. She didn't know what to choose.

She felt something on her head and recognized that gramps was ruffling her hair. He was smiling at her.

"This is not a question for you Yuugi." Said gramps. "It is mine. I am in charge of the store so it is for me to answer, and I decline. Even if you were to break up with Yami over this, I would not take the deed."

"But grandpa…" said Yuugi weakly, horrified. She didn't want to be the reason they became homeless.

"There will be no discussion on this." said gramps firmly. "Besides, I haven't been an idle fool these past years. I accumulated a fair bit of savings for emergencies such as this. Don't worry and let me handle this."

It still didn't console her. Nor Yami, by the look on his face.

"Are you sure?" said Izumi. "I will not repeat this offer again."

"I am sure." Said gramps.

Izumi took back the envelope, placing it carefully back into her purse. Yuugi watched every movement, her throat dry.

"You are determined to stay with him then are you?" she said, addressing Yuugi.

Yuugi nodded, her insides still squirming.

"I see."

Again Izumi reached into her bag, this time taking out a smaller envelope. She held it out to Yuugi, who took it cautiously.

"It won't bite." Said Izumi dryly.

"Excuse me if we're a little cautious." Said Yuugi. She opened the envelope, Yami peering over her shoulder. It looked like an invitation. Yami narrowed his eyes at it before looking back at his mother.

"What is this?" he said.

"It's exactly what it looks like." Said Izumi. "It's an invitation to Dartz Shimizu's birthday party."

"Yes, I recognize it, but why?"

"To give you a chance." Said Izumi. "Since you are so determined to stay together, I'm providing you with an opportunity to impress me."

Yuugi was taken aback. After that previous attack, the last thing she had expected was for Izumi to give her an opportunity to prove herself. There was no way this was what it seemed. Yami didn't appear to think so either.

"What's the catch?" said Yami, holding up the invitation.

"There is no catch." Said Izumi. "At the party, it will be a good place to publicly announce your relationship. If you can't handle that, then you are not suited for this life."

Publicly announce their relationship? What, were they celebrities or something? Yuugi turned to give Yami a skeptical look, but the disbelief died when she saw the look on Yami's face. Yami was troubled. He had narrowed his eyes at his mother, his brain evidently trying to pick apart what her game was.

"Well Yuugi." Said Izumi. "What is your answer?"

"I'll go." Said Yuugi firmly. She wasn't sure what to expect, but she knew this was a once in a life time opportunity. She needed to risk whatever Izumi had planned and face it head on. Yuugi inherently knew that backing away from this would cement her as a coward in Izumi's head forever.

"Yuugi, are you sure about this?" said Yami, his voice lowered only for her to hear. "I can promise you that this invitation is not as simple as it looks."

"I'm positive." Said Yuugi. "This is our chance. I'm not going to throw away an opportunity like this." Besides, she wasn't sure what would happen with the deed if they declined.

Yami still looked apprehensive, but Yuugi ignored him.

"I'm glad to hear your answer." Said Izumi. She stood up, which in turn made the rest of them stand in response. "I have to leave now. I expect you to make it home tonight Yami. I would like to discuss some things with you and your father."

Yami glared in response.

"Here, let me show you out." Said gramps. He politely led Izumi out of the house, making small talk about her visit. Yuugi silently praised her grandfather for being able to stay calm after that meeting. The man was as tough as nails.

She heard the door close, her gramps coming back in.

"Well, that was an unexpected interruption." He said, rubbing his hands together. "What say you two to finally having our breakfast? I'll go heat everything back up."

Yuugi shook her head at her grandfather, meaning to follow him to the kitchen, then stopped. She had spotted Yami, suddenly realizing that there was another issue this had created. Yami's gaze was on the ground, looking as if he might murder someone. Every muscle was tight, his jaw clenched and eyes burning with anger. His entire aura radiated a volcano waiting to explode. But there was a slight trembling in his eyes that told her a portion of this rage was not directed at Izumi, but at himself.

Yuugi hurried over to Yami, grabbing his upper arm. It snapped his attention to her.

"Yami, I know what you're thinking and you need to stop." Said Yuugi. "This is not your fault."

"It doesn't matter." Said Yami, "This is happening because of me. If I hadn't confessed…I never thought-"

"If you say something like that I've going to be angry." Said Yuugi sternly, but Yami wasn't listening. He had reached up, rubbing his hand hard against his forehead.

"I don't care what I have to give up to stay by your side." He said, voice low and trembling. "But if by fulfilling that wish, I hurt you in the process, that I can't forgive myself for. I-"

"HEY!"

Yuugi grabbed Yami by the face, forcibly turning him to look at her. His eyes widened, the deep crimson easily visible to her. There were so many different emotions reflected in his eyes, she couldn't identify most of them. Fear, hope, love, anxiety, uncertainty. They all stole across his countenance, open for Yuugi to see. They gave her courage.

"I give you one minute." Said Yuugi. "Burn away your self-pity, and then I don't want to hear another word on it."

"She's not going to be quiet about all of this." said Yami. "She's got something planned at this party, I promise you. She might force you out of the house at any second. She holds all the cards and we don't know what she's going to do with them."

"45 seconds left." Said Yuugi.

"Yuugi…" Yami said breathless. "I… can't do that to you."

"And just who are you thinking about right now?" said Yuugi, now officially infuriated. "Because you defiantly aren't thinking about me. You aren't thinking about my broken heart that you came and stole so selfishly. You want to throw that away? I thought I meant more to you than that."

"That's not fair." Said Yami.

"But that's how I feel." Said Yuugi. "You are willing to give up everything for me. Can't I do the same for you?"

"But this is your home." Said Yami.

"It's a building." Said Yuugi flatly, knowing she was being harsh. It wasn't just a building to her, but compared to Yami, she knew what was more important. "Gramps made his decision so there's no point in arguing about this. I don't want to hear another word on the subject."

"But-"

"Your minute is up." Said Yuugi, letting go of Yami's face. "Let's go eat our breakfast. I'll reheat your French toast, so go sit back down."

She marched towards the kitchen, grabbing the place of bread and throwing it back into the microwave. Gramps was already there, reheating the rest of the food.

"I have to admit." mused gramps. "I never would have expected you to be the forceful one in the relationship."

Yuugi glared at gramps, still riding the coattails of her anger from earlier.

"Yami's got a thick head." Said Yuugi. "If you don't smack him a few times things don't always sink in."

They still had a lot to talk about. Izumi had made a complete mess of everything and the battle had just begun.

* * *

 **Deji princess, Hiei Dragon Girl, ForeverWildfire2.0, RequiemRein, PrincessDragon96, whitlaw123, Justsomeone, Unitato722, BreakfastForLife, Mistoka, RenMow11, ASHLEYDACYAT, and Jaylonni Love. Thank you for your reviews and ROLF. I lost it with some of them. Oh gosh, I inspired so much hate. And it was hard my friends, but the fav review this time goes to PrincessDragon96, because that review appealed to my love for the abridged series. HAHA. btw, sorry RequiemRein. Hope your quiz went well.**

 **Aww, thanks Unitato722. Such high praise! Maybe one day Ill publish something. Also Mistoka, stores are like houses. You can rent them from the owner and pay a monthly fee. That's what happened here. Gramps obviously did not own the store. Now, the owner can potentially change the monthly fee to something unreasonable if the contract allows them to, or threaten to not renew the contract which would force gramps to shut down shop and move. These reasons (And more underhanded things) are why this is such a huge threat.  
**

 **Hmm, two questions about what Izumi looked like. I honestly made it vague on purpose (cause long specific descriptions make me bored, so why would I subject you to that when I don't want to read it?). Anyway, if you are curious what I imagined, she does not have a straight across bob like Ishizu, but more of a shoulder length layered haircut that curled perfectly inwardly at the ends, then obviously with red tips (Which I forgot to add. oh wells). Either way, yes, she's supposed to be stunning despite her age. I wanted to give you an idea of her appearance then let you fill in the rest as you wished. :)**

 **Oh gosh, you guys are masters at last minute reviews. Thank you as well SkyNakama27!**


	75. Chapter 75

Chapter 75

Breakfast was quiet as everyone ate, too absorbed in their thoughts to say anything. Yuugi kept glancing at Yami, wanting to talk, but the man was glaring at his French toast as if it had betrayed him in some horrible way. He was obviously still sorting through some thoughts. Well, she should probably leave him be until he was done. Gramps however, was still eating happily, giving idle chatter Yuugi responded to half heartedly.

Yami suddenly put down his knife and fork, the movement catching both Yuugi and gramps's attention. Yami pushed his plate away, eyes on gramps.

"Sugoroku." Said Yami eventually. "Are you sure? About what you said to my mother? I don't want you to lose your home or livelihood."

"Oh posh, I'm not going to let her push me around." Said gramps. "She'd have to give us at least three months to move if she wanted to kick us out. It's in the contract. That's plenty of time to relocate and find somewhere new for the store. It would be a huge pain, but not impossible."

Yami appeared to still feel guilty, and Yuugi had to admit, she did as well. Yami stood up, walking around the table before getting on his knees and bowing his head towards gramps.

"I wish to apologize for my mother's behavior." Said Yami. "It was unforgivable for her to threaten you like that. I am also sorry for the trouble my relationship Yuugi has brought upon you."

Yuugi, who had been about to ask Yami was he was doing, suddenly understood his desire to apologize. She jumped to her feet, imitating Yami's posture by settling beside him and bowing her head as well.

"We're sorry for the trouble gramps." Said Yuugi.

"I also want to apologize in advance for any future trouble." continued Yami, his head still lowered. "I am in love with your granddaughter, and I want to fight though this with her. I'm sorry for being selfish, but I do not want to relinquish Yuugi no matter what trouble it may bring you."

Yuugi blushed hard at that, keeping her head down as much out of embarrassment than anything else. She wondered how he could say such embarrassing things so easily, but she was also extremely happy he had made up his mind to stop blaming himself and move forward.

"I'm glad to hear it." Said gramps, who had turned to give them his full attention. "I will only forgive you if you fight this together as you promised. Let me handle the store and you two handle the rest."

Yuugi's head snapped up, smiling wide at her grandfather.

"Thank you gramps!" she said, thrilled at his response. Yami replied by bowing his head further, gripping his jeans tightly.

"Thank you." He said, voice low.

Yuugi gave Yami a pat on the back, as he straightened, returning her smile with his own bright one. She felt invincible in that moment. No matter what Izumi threw their way, nothing could separate her from Yami.

* * *

After breakfast was done, Yuugi caught Yami in the hall before he went into the bathroom to take a shower. She had a few things she wanted to talk to him about privately.

"Thank you." Said Yuugi.

"For what?" said Yami.

"Just, for everything." Said Yuugi. "For being willing to go such lengths to stay with me. I realized I never thanked you and I just wanted you to know that I appreciate what you're willing to sacrifice."

"I don't consider it a sacrifice Yuugi." Said Yami. "But thank you, I appreciate you taking the time to tell me."

"Also, I wanted to apologize for not following the strategy." Said Yuugi. "I know we had planned to win your mother's approval through flattery, but I couldn't stand the way she was talking to us, or gramps. I just kind of lost my head. Gosh, she's infuriating! I understand why you complain so much." Then she winced. "Sorry, I shouldn't speak ill of your parents."

"And I'm sorry you had to deal with her." Said Yami.

"Oh, and thank you for letting me speak for myself. I know you wanted to come to my defense several times, but I appreciate that you let me handle her."

"What is with this stream of gratitude and apologizes?" said Yami, a gleam in his eyes. "I think you were right today in speaking up like that. Had I spoken, my words would have held no meaning. Only you can show her your strength by standing by me, not behind me. I'm sorry you had to deal with that. In the future, I may not be able to hold back if she speaks to you again in that manner."

"Kind of like how you blew up when she brought out the deed?"

Yami's eyes turned dark, no doubt remembering the moment. "That Yuugi, is a prime example of how low my mother can get. Do not forget that she will stoop to any level to get what she wants."

"I won't." said Yuugi. Feeling that helpless and terrified was not something one forgot easily.

Yami leaned against the wall, head tilted as he observed Yuugi with a smile on his face. "I'll admit; it was comforting to see you say no to her. I… was afraid that you may not have chosen me over what she presented."

"I'm offended." huffed Yuugi, not really offended. "Did you think I was that shallow of a person?"

Yami shrugged. "No, it's just my insecurities. They do no one any service by whispering falsehoods into my heart."

Now wasn't that the truth?

Yuugi stepped closer to Yami, entering his personal space. He had looked way too sexy leaning casually against the wall, head tilted in a knowing smirk. She felt confident, somehow comforted in knowing that someone as amazing as Yami could also feel insecure at times.

She cupped his face, pressing her lips to Yami's in a slow kiss. Yami responded, moving his lips against hers but letting her take control. His hands naturally fell back to her waist, tugging her slightly closer. She eventually broke off, her hand still on his face as she beamed at him. Yami was smirking as well, then he suddenly let out a snort.

"What?" said Yuugi.

"It's just," said Yami, his voice becoming slightly higher in an imitation of Yuugi. " _'I have a name you know, it's Yuugi, I'll allow you to use it.'"_

Yuugi let out a laugh, somewhat mortified. "Oh gosh, I can't believe I said that to her!"

"Definitely my favorite moment of the experience, not that there were many to choose from."

Yami's smile slowly disappeared, pulling her closer and resting his forehead against hers. He closed his eyes, breathing slowly. Yuugi returned to hug, weaving her arms under his to hug his torso. They stayed there for a moment, taking comfort and strength in each other's company.

* * *

An hour later, she and Yami had left the house, walking down the street to his friend's house. They had been talking about the different things Izumi may have planned to cause trouble at the party.

"She said we were going to publicly announce our relationship." Said Yami. "I bet she'll have reporters there."

"Reporters? Really?" said Yuugi. "Isn't that a little excessive?"

"Not really." Said Yami with a shrug. "Our family has been in the paper and news quite a few times, as has Kaiba. The Sennen company is second only to Kaiba corp. in Japan."

"It is?" said Yuugi, taken aback. She had realized Yami was rich, but not that rich.

Yami gave her a sidelong glance, smirking at her. "And they think you're after my fortune. You don't even know two things about the company do you?"

"I know it's big." Said Yuugi, thinking. Quite a few people had quoted some statistics and things at her as they tried to convince her she didn't deserve Yami. "Doesn't it sell lots of expensive stuff? Oh, at it's at least a billion-dollar company right? That's three things."

"At least." Said Yami, who was obviously laughing at her internally. "You may want to brush up on what the Sennen company includes. I doubt people would be happy knowing you knew so little about the company I might or might not inherit."

"What can you tell me about it?" said Yuugi.

"It's big." Said Yami, that smirk still on his face.

"I'm going to hit you."

"And I'm serious. It's a big company and it owns a lot of smaller companies as well. You've heard how Disney is slowly taking over the world by buying everything out? Well, that's basically the same as the Sennen company."

"Oh." That helped a little bit. "Let's add that to the list of things I have to learn about." It was a good thing they had time to prepare for the party. So far they had table manners, walking and dancing in heels, interviewing skills and facts about the Sennen company to research. The list was already stupid long in her opinion.

"We will also have to choose your outfit carefully." Said Yami. "Unfortunately, the media and society is harsh on what women wear more so than men. People will judge you just by your hair and makeup."

"Stupid sexism." Muttered Yuugi.

Yami suddenly went quiet, a troubled expression crossing his face.

"What is it Yami?" said Yuugi.

"I can't believe I almost forgot." He said. "There's another problem we'll have to look out for."

"What is it?"

"Vivian."

Yuugi let out a groan, immediately knowing what Yami was talking about. According to Yami, the woman had been pestering him for years to go out with her. She was apparently clingy, rude, and didn't get the many blatant hints that Yami was not interested in her. She remembered a story where Yami had even spelled it out for her, yet she had insisted they were destined for each other.

"She's not the only one we'll have to watch out for." continued Yami. "Just the worst. She'll find some way to torment you, unless we're lucky and she's not there."

"How much do you want to bet your mother makes sure she's invited just to make things harder?" Said Yuugi.

Yami grimaced, glancing at Yuugi with a worried frown. He cleared his throat. "I know you've been having trouble with the school bullies." He said. "But, these girls can be – are, worse. Are you going to be able to handle it?"

Yuugi thought for a moment, throwing aside her pride that immediately bristled and wanted to deny that she was still bothered by the bullying. It would have been a lie, one Yami would see through immediately. How much harder was it going to be to fend off their nasty comments at a place she already felt uncomfortable being in?

"I want to try at least." She said, "I can't promise I won't falter… but if you're with me, I think I can handle it."

Yami ruffled her hair. "Good answer." He said. "Plus, we're lucky that today I was going to introduce the two of you. You're about the meet the only person that can give you advice on what to expect as my girlfriend."

"Your girlfriend?" said Yuugi, confused. She was Yami's first girlfriend. Then it dawned on her.

They were going to meet Ryuji's sister!

* * *

 **Thank you my friends for your reviews! whitlaw123, a, BreakfastForLife, Jaylonni Love, money100, Deji princess, RenMow11, ASHLEYDACYAT, ForeverWildfire2.0, Justsomeone, Mistoka, Bravemaridin, xSinfulPharaohx, and RequiemRein. Ya'll are lovely!**

 **Yup, MVP goes to gramps! It would have been a lot worse had he not decided to support Yuugi and Yami through this. He's a good man. And I think I broke my record. I wrote this in two and a half hours. Ha! I doubt I've written this much that fast. (Granted I had the whole thing planned already which doesn't always happen. Yay for discovery writing!)  
**


	76. Chapter 76

Chapter 76

"Here we are." Said Yami.

The two of them had stopped in front of a moderately sized apartment complex. Yami raised a hand and knocked. There was small pause before the door swung open to reveal the person behind it.

If there were angles on earth, they would look like this woman. Everything of about her exuded a calm serenity, from her wide dark eyes to her soft round face. Her long celestial white hair fanned out behind her, framing her silhouette in the doorway. Then she smiled and it was like the bells of heaven were ringing.

"An angel." sighed Yuugi.

Then she realized both Yami and the woman were looking at her with a strange expression. Her face turned red.

Oh gosh, had she said that out loud?

"Yes you did." Said Yami, trying and failing to suppress his smirk.

Yuugi groaned as she hid her face in her hands. "Kill me now."

The woman gave a soft giggle. "You're as adorable as Yami described you Yuugi." She said, "Please, come in both of you."

Yuugi couldn't _not_ follow that voice. It was soft and mesmerizing. Once they were inside and the door closed, the woman bowed to Yuugi.

"It's nice to finally meet you Yuugi." Said the woman. "My name is Kisara."

"My name's Yuugi." Said Yuugi. "Ah, except you just- you already knew that didn't you?"

Oh man she was such a spaz. Kisara just smiled wider at her. "If you'd like, you can hang your coats here. If you'll excuse me a moment I have to grab the kettle."

She hurried off, her every movement smooth as if she were gliding. Yuugi hung her head, smacking herself with her hand.

"Well, I'm glad I didn't introduce you to her until we were already dating." mused Yami.

Yuugi would have hit him except she was still dazed from the encounter. "How did you not date her for real? She's beautiful!"

Yami sent him an amused look as he finished hanging his coat and scarf on the rack.

"Remember the part where I'm not a shallow person who only dates people for their looks?" he said. "Come on, I'll show you inside."

Yami led her further into the room. The place was small, the hall only a few feet before they were in the living room. Here it had a small couch, tv and coffee table. Toys for toddlers dotted the floor, the owner of said toys sitting on the ground and chewing on one. The boy was still wearing his pajamas, a tuft of bright blonde hair sticking straight up. He looked up at Yami entered, eyes lightening up in recognition.

Yami strode forward, scooping the boy up in his arms.

"Hi there Kiseki." Said Yami, smiling brightly at him. He then turned to Yuugi. "This is her son, Kiseki. Say hi Kiseki."

Yuugi beamed, coming closer to the kid and grinning at him. Oh gosh he was adorable with those big cheeks and pudgy body. She took one of his little hands, marveling at how soft he was.

"Hi Kiseki." Said Yuugi.

The boy squirmed, obviously not wanting to be held.

"Not having it today are we?" said Yami, putting the boy down. Kiseki immediately wandered away, little legs pumping to get to the blanket sprawled on the floor.

"He's so cute." Said Yuugi, watching as Kiseki stumbled onto the floor and turned to look at Yuugi. He flashed a wide smile at Yuugi that had her melting. Goodness the kid could kill her with that smile. The shop had a few moms bringing in their children but Yuugi didn't get to interact with them much in general.

"Thank you." Said Kisara, who had come back into the room. She held a tray with three cups of tea on it that she placed on the coffee table. "He's my little angel, but be careful. He's gotten to the age where he likes poking and pulling on things he's not supposed to, so hold onto your tea."

"I'll be sure to do that." Said Yuugi, sitting down on the couch. Yami took to the floor, sitting by Kiseki and poking at the little piano the boy was currently banging on. Kisara sat by Yuugi, still smiling at her. Kisara's posture was the picture of perfection, legs crossed neatly beneath her, delicate hands holding her cup of tea and back straight.

"I'm so glad you were able to come." She said to Yuugi. "I've been wanting to meet you for ages after all I've heard about you."

"I hope it was all good things." Said Yuugi. She had just remembered that Kisara had said Yami had called her adorable. She sent Yami a dangerous glare.

"No secrets were spilled, I promise." He said. "At least, none that you will kill me over."

She seriously doubted that.

Kisara giggled. "Don't worry Yuugi, they were all good things. Yami has talked about you so often that I feel that I've already have met you."

Yuugi felt herself blush again. Kisara had such a pleasant air around her. The world was so much sweeter because she was in it. Desperate for something to do with her hands, Yuugi grabbed the tea cup.

"That seems like an unfair advantage." muttered Yuugi as she took a sip.

Kiseki took that moment to stand up and walk over to Yuugi where he tackled the couch, reaching for her cup of tea. Yuugi held it out of reach, smiling at him.

"Whoa there, this is not for you."

Yami laughed at her, coming over and grabbing the toddler. "Come here you." He practically threw the giggling boy into the air, entertaining him with another hand held toy. Yuugi couldn't help it. Her heart swooned a little at the sight of Yami playing so affectionately with the kid. It was much hotter than she thought it would be.

"He's walking a lot faster than when I last saw him." Said Yami, still holding the giggling boy.

"Yes, it's quite upsetting to see him grow so quickly." sighed Kisara. "Why can't they stay young forever?"

"Would you ever consider having more kids?" said Yuugi, curious. After Yuugi had realized that she could get pregnant, the thought of children had crossed her mind. She hadn't really considered it seriously as a male, but now as a female that would bear those kids, it felt different... mostly because she knew it would involve a lot of pain.

"Most definitely." Said Kisara. "Except this time, I would prefer a partner that would love me and stick around."

Yuugi winched, realizing she had treated on a sensitive subject.

"Sorry." Said Yuugi.

"Oh, don't apologize." Said Kisara. "I know Yami told you everything that happened. I just… hope you don't resent me after hearing the story."

"How could I resent you?" said Yuugi, slightly horrified by the notion. "Yami doesn't hold a grudge, why should I?"

Kisara's smile turned sad, but gratitude and joy lined the edges of her expression. "Thank you Yuugi. It's been a hard journey. Yami is lucky to have you."

Yuugi saw it. She saw the affection in Kisara's eyes, the twinge of longing. It set off internal warning bells. Her senses were telling her that Kisara had, or maybe still nursed a crush on Yami.

She glanced at her boyfriend, now wary. Yami didn't appear to notice, his face turned to Yuugi as he said. "Yes, I definitely am lucky."

Yuugi responded by glowering in embarrassment. "I still don't understand how you can say such embarrassing things out loud." muttered Yuugi, taking another sip of her tea.

"You said plenty of embarrassing things yesterday." Said Yami. "Especially later into the night."

Yuugi chocked, almost spitting tea all over the couch. "Yami, I will kill you where you stand if you say anything else!"

Yami had purposefully loaded the statement. Kisara's cheeks had turned slightly pink.

"I'm assuming the date went well then." She said.

"You knew about the date?" said Yuugi.

"I did." Said Kisara. "Yami came and asked me for advice. He was very anxious to make sure you enjoyed yourself."

"Did he now?" said Yuugi, giving her boyfriend a sidelong smirk. It was cute he had asked for advice. Well, so had she, pestering her friends on what she should wear. "Well, it was far from boring that was for sure."

Kisara misinterpreted the comment, adding Yami's previous statement to her imagination. The pink spread as she gave a nervous smile.

"It sounds like it was a memorable first date." She said.

"Not in the way you're thinking." Said Yami, who had just set down Kiseki. The boy went straight for the tv controllers, sticking them in his mouth. "We ended up at the police station after some woman accused us of trying to kidnap her kid."

"What?" said Kisara, turning a serious face to Yami. "What happened?"

Yami quickly told her the story, starting with finding the kid and then all the way through until they walked out of the station. Kisara had pulled Kiseki to her lap by then, bouncing him lightly on her knee as she frowned in thought.

"Do you think it was your mother that set that up?" said Kisara.

"That's what we're thinking." Said Yami. "We actually have a favor to ask of you."

"What is it?"

"My mother… interrupted out breakfast this morning." Said Yami. "She wants Yuugi to attend Dartz's birthday party. We were hoping you could give her some tips on what to expect."

Kisara hugged her child to her, seemingly shrinking in on herself.

"What to expect at those parties?" said Kisara, shaking her head. "It's hell, especially when you have no confidence in yourself." Her attention was on Yuugi now. "Are you sure you want to go? Even with the ones you love beside you, you will not make it out unscathed."

Instead of deterring her, the comment cemented Yuugi's determination.

"I still want to go." Said Yuugi. "I'd never forgive myself if I didn't at least try."

She could see Yami smiling in pride out of the corner of her eye, but her gaze was on Kisara. The woman's eyes widened, obviously not expecting Yuugi's adamant statement. Then she gave a relieved sigh.

"Alright then." Said Kisara. "I'll tell you what you can expect."

* * *

 **So I never said who Ryuji's sister was. I doubt many of you expected Kisara. I chose her for many reasons, one being that she is someone most instantly love and feel sorry for, which was what I wanted for Ryuji's sister. That being said, feel free to hate her for the crap she put Yami through. I actually am curious if your opinion of her has/will change as the story continues.**

 **I would like to thank those of you that kindly left a review! You guys are aweomse. Unitato722, xSinfulPharaohx, whitlaw123, guest, vcjb242, a, SkyNakama27, Hiei Dragon Girl, JustSomeone, Scarlet Vow, Jaylonni Love, and RequiemRein. Thank you! XD**

 **Unitato722, unfortunately we are not going to have another Yami perspective chapter unless we need it. It's too much work to essentially rewrite the entire story from anther point of view. We'll have to be satisfied with the ones we have and any I deem necessary in the future.**

 **RequiemRein, while I have many fictitious boyfriends, my therapist advises against them, so I should discourage and stuff.**


	77. Chapter 77

Chapter 77

"It's not really the snide comments, it's the combination of everything that happens that got to me. There was this one party where I had literally every girl in the room calling me… well a combination of bitch and whore. It was painfully obvious they were jealous, but it still stung. They would gossip to each other loudly about it as I was passing, but they'd never say it to my face. Then I would meet a group that would smile and I'd think to myself, 'finally! Someone that will be nice to me.' Then about two minutes into the conversation they'd compliment my dress, then add some sort of insult about how 'it looked nice for a garbage bag. After all, that's where Yami found you and took pity on you right?' You stop opening up to people and it gets very lonely and hollow."

"Sounds like a more sophisticated version of high school bullying." Said Yuugi

Kisara shrugged. "Those were just the mild things. They don't have school rules to keep them back. Instead, they have an abundance of resources to pull from and they're used to getting what they want. I can't tell you how many times I had to change my outfit because someone would ruin it, or go home because someone dumped fish oil all over me."

Yuugi grimaced sympathetically. Her and Kisara had been talking for the last hour about possible things that might pop up while she was at the party. Most of what she had covered was social etiquette, though she pointed out those at the top could afford to throw that out the window, Kaiba being a good example. But someone like Yuugi would be immediately ostracized if she didn't conform because she had nothing to back her except Yami.

They had considered different strategies and decided that the most important thing would be to stay as neutral as possible and stay away from stepping on any toes. After all, just being Yami's girlfriend would make some hate her immediately.

Kiseki distracted Yuugi from her thoughts by handing her a washable marker. Yuugi took it, then held it back out to him. He grabbed the marker and ran off with a cry. Yuugi couldn't help grinning in amusement. Kiseki would probably stick it in his mouth while eying her, then run back to her to give her the slobber soaked marker. They had been going through the same routine for the last five minutes.

Sure enough, he returned a second later to give her the marker.

"Come here you." Said Yuugi grabbing the boy and giving him a big hug. He giggled, squirming until she let him go, this time without the marker. He had forgotten about it.

"I didn't realize you had such a hard time." Said Yami, who was still sitting against the coffee table on the floor next to Yuugi. "I'm sorry, I was a lousy fake boyfriend."

Kisara shook her head. "You stopped most of it, and I kept the rest of it a secret because I didn't want to cause you more trouble."

"At least we know better what to watch out for." Said Yuugi. "Um, do you have a napkin I can use or something?" she wasn't used to having kid slobber all over her.

"I'll grab you one." Said Yami, standing up and heading to the kitchen.

"I'm sure you'll be fine." Said Kisara to Yuugi. She had a twinkling in her eye as she lowered her voice so Yami couldn't hear her. "I doubt Yami will let you out of his sight. He'll be extra vigilant to help support you."

Yuugi grimaced. "You make it sound like he's going to stick to my side like glue. I might throw him if he tried that."

"I just might." Said Yami, who had walked back in and handed her a napkin. "So you'd better be prepared to throw me."

Yuugi took the napkin and whipped her hands off, a playful grin on her face. "On second thought, I might just pay Marik harass you. He'd find more enjoyment in the job."

"Marik finding enjoyment in tormenting me?" said Yami, widening his eyes comically. "That never happens."

Yuugi threw the napkin at him.

Kisara giggled.

"Well, you'll have plenty of friends to help support you it sounds like." Said Kisara. "Between my brother, Yami, and his friends, you won't at least feel too vulnerable. I'll contact some of my friends as well and let them know to watch out for you, even at other parties."

"Did you finally contact them again?" said Yami.

Kisara nodded. "I did. It... was hard, but it was as you said. Most were upset that I hadn't asked them for help, but they were very understanding as well. Really, I can't thank you enough for how you've supported me Yami."

"It's not a problem." Said Yami graciously. "Though I am curious. How did Mana take it?"

Kisara laughed nervously, but didn't say anything.

"That well huh?" said Yami.

"She's still mad at me." Said Kisara. "Especially after I told her about when you found me. She still refuses to answer any of my calls."

"Between her and your brother, I thought they were going to kill me after you went missing." Said Yami shaking his head. "They were both very concerned."

"Ryuji is coming to see me this afternoon." said Kisara, her eyes brightening in a special way when she talked about her brother. "And I'm sorry, but I think Kiseki might like him better than you now. He's the new favorite."

"I think I can stand being second place to Uncle Ryuji." Said Yami. Then he glanced towards Yuugi, his smiled becoming softer. "Though Yuugi might out strip us all if we're not careful."

"Huh?" said Yuugi, who was only partially paying attention to the conversation. She had Kiseki on her lap, an ABC book open in front of him that depicted a different bug on each page. The boy was currently giggling like mad at her imitation of a cricket.

"I actually need to start putting him down for a nap." Said Kisara. "He gets cranky really quickly if he doesn't stay on schedule."

"We should probably get going then." Said Yami, standing up. Yuugi carefully took Kiseki and handed him to Kisara, waving good bye to the boy. A part of her was definitely attached to the little thing now. She couldn't decide if it was a part of her she had never tapped into, or it was the female part of her that suddenly felt baby hungry.

 _Gosh Yuugi calm down! You haven't even graduated high school yet._ she thought _._ Still, Yuugi felt a definite pang of longing as she watched Kisara cradle Kiseki to her. Maybe it was more a desire for the siblings that she never had. Well, honestly she counted many of her friends as family so that probably wasn't it.

"I'll text or call you for a good time to come over." Said Kisara to Yuugi.

"Thank you, I really appreciate it." Said Yuugi, grateful for her help. She had agreed to teach Yuugi some of the basics in dinner etiquette as well as other things. Yami could have taught her, but he still needed to study for school and there were some differences between men and women that Kisara could only teach. Like how to walk in heels without falling on your face. That one was important.

They waved goodbye at the door, Yuugi blushing again as Kisara sent her another brilliant smile before going inside to put Kiseki down for his nap. There was a large smile on Yuugi face as she walked by her boyfriend, grabbing his arm and latching onto it.

"She's amazing!" said Yuugi. "How the heck could anyone be mean to an angel like that?"

"I'm glad that you liked her." Said Yami. "She's gotten a lot more outgoing in the past year, she used to be so shy."

"I doubt it made a difference, I'm sure the men were flocking towards her." Said Yuugi. "I would, if I were still a man."

"No you wouldn't." said Yami confidently.

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Because I would never have introduced you two."

Yami's face was a picture of calm, but Yuugi knew him better than that. There was a slight tick in his jaw that said he was masking his irritation. Yuugi grinned, hugging Yami around the middle, making them halt in the middle of the sidewalk.

"What, is this jealousy I hear in your voice?" teased Yuugi.

"You know it is you little minx." growled Yami. He took a firm hold of her chin, something smoldering behind his eyes. "Don't make me come over and supervise your lessons, because I will."

Slightly taken aback that he had admitted to his jealously so easily, Yuugi couldn't help egging him on.

"That really isn't necessary." Said Yuugi. "She's only beautiful, sweet, thoughtful, and has an adorable baby boy. There's no way I'd ever fall for that."

"Is that so?" Said Yami, his bad mood growing.

"Yup." Said Yuugi, smiling at him. "I'd rather have this impatient, jealous, sexy man in front of me."

"Good." Said Yami, inching closer to her. "Because I don't ever plan on letting you go."

They then graced the streets of Domino city with some PDA for the next ten minutes.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **And thank you to my wonderful reviews for your comments, thoughts and awesomeness! SkyNakama27, whitlaw123 Money100, Justsomeone, MadolcheAnjelly, BreakfastForLife, Jaylonni Love, RenMow11, Hiei Dragon Girl,** **ASHLEYDACYAT and xSinfulPharaohx.**

 **I based Kiseki off of my little Nephew, so the age worked out perfectly. Gosh** **ASHLEYDACYAT, I hope this story doesn't reach 100 chapters. I'll have to throw stuff at myself if it does. I've got so many other stories in my head it's a nightmare stopping myself from writing them since I already have too many ongoing stories, I don't need any more! XD**


	78. Chapter 78

Chapter 78

For the next weeks, Yuugi did her best to prepare for the upcoming party. They told the rest of her friends the situation, all of them outraged that Yami's parents would consider disowning Yami if he didn't break up with Yuugi.

"Your parents suck Yami." Jounouchi had said. "Dat's a new level of messed up."

The rest had all expressed similar views, though Jou had added several more expletives that Yuugi thought would be kinder to not repeat. They had also all agreed to pitch in and help her through the ordeal, offering what they could to help. Anzu had agreed to help with makeup and hair, Honda had managed to give her an almost hug of comfort - minus the fact that he had managed it without touching her- and Bakura had offered to dig up dirt on anyone that messed with her.

"Don't you think that would be abusing your powers of authority?" said Yuugi. Bakura was currently underway to start working more in private security. She wasn't sure what his current job was and had no desire to know. It was probably better that way.

"Or I could threaten them a little." Said Bakura, his butterfly knife coming out with a flick of his wrist. "People don't need both ears do they?"

"You know, I think they do." Said Yuugi, noticing that Ryou was marching over to them, every inch of her fuming in an uncharacteristic rage that was directed at Bakura. She looked like murder. "Look, here comes your girlfriend to help you remove yours. By the way, run."

Even Seto Kaiba had shown Yuugi his support, though it was in a strange way.

"The mutt will also be coming to the party." Said Kaiba, who had stopped Yuugi in the hall one day he had come to school. "Keep an eye on him so he doesn't make a fool of himself."

"What, Jou is going to be coming as well?" said Yuugi, confused. "How? Did you invite him?"

"Against my better judgement." Said Kaiba, who had already started walking off. "Just make sure he wipes the mud off his feet."

Yuugi had raised an eyebrow, leaning over to Yami and asking. "So… did he invited Jou to help me, or because he wanted to?"

Yami had smirked. "The better question is if Jou realizes that this is a date."

And so Jou was included in many of the lessons Yuugi took with Kisara, mostly because Yuugi had told him about Kisara. Jou had agreed quickly that the woman was an angel that had somehow missed returning to heaven. He'd spent half of the time dropping things and the other half staring at her. It was a good thing Kaiba hadn't been there there. Yuugi briefly wondered if Kaiba was the type to get jealous. Yami defiantly was. He had encouraged Jounouchi with a little too much enthusiasm to join her lessons with Kisara.

Then there was Marik and Mal, though the latter had more been bullied into helping Yuugi. The man _could_ have still said no. He could have easily ignored the txt, calls and Yuugi appearing at his front door with Marik if he had wanted to. The blonde had actually slammed the door in their face when he had first opened it.

Marik rolled his eyes, opening up the still unlocked door and marching in so suddenly he almost ran into Mal.

"Don't be embarrassed, it's just Yuugi." Said Marik, grabbing the still off balance man into a hug. "He doesn't mind if we get a little handsy."

Mal struggled, trying and failing to get out of Marik's grip.

"Yes, I do." Said Yuugi coming in and shutting the door. "Please stop harassing Mal, I want him in one piece."

"Get, off!" said Mal, finally untangling from Marik's grip. He rubbed the back of his neck, scowling at the two of them. "Why are you guys at my house? How did you even know where I live?"

Marik rolled his eyes, holding up his phone. "The internet is a magical cesspool of knowledge."

"Mostly the cesspool part." Said Yuugi. "Sorry, I tried texting, but I think you turned your phone off."

"I did." Said Mal, folding his arms defensively. "What do you want?"

"Your help." Said Yuugi. "I've incurred the wrath of Yami's mother and now must prove myself at a party. So I need some lessons on how to behave myself."

"What?" said Mal. "Why is there so much drama in your life? Seriously it's like a bad soap."

"Tell me about it. So, are you going to help me?"

"Just have your BF help, or this idiot here." Said Mal, gesturing at Marik. "I'm sure he'd be more than happy to irritate his surrogate parents."

"Mal." Said Yuugi patiently. "Do you honestly think Marik has the skills needed to teach me proper high society behavior?"

"Good point. Then why is he here?"

Both Yuugi and Marik answered him at the same time.

"To see you-" said Yuugi.

"Because Yami gets jealous-" said Marik

Yuugi and Marik looked at each other, smiles creeping up their faces.

"Should I take a picture when you two are reeeally close to each other?" said Marik.

"Please do. He gets all riled up and It's really sexy."

"I feel so sorry for your significant others." Said Mal, shaking his head at them. Marik opened his mouth, but Mal took two steps towards him and slapped a hand over Marik's mouth. "And before you open your stupid mouth, no, I am not your significant other, and we are never going to date."

Marik grabbed Mal's hand, yanking him hard so that Mal fell into his arms. "But we're already dating" Said Malik. "Or did the other night mean nothing to you?"

Yeah, Yuugi wasn't sure what they argued about for the next five minutes, but finally she rolled her eyes, shoving herself between the bickering couple, because that was what they were, no matter what Mal said. His body language was still closed off, shy, but he was also responding eagerly to each taunt. The man obviously did not know how to express himself.

"Mal, I was wondering if you could teach me how to partner dance." Said Yuugi.

"What?" said Mal, finally breaking his attention from Marik. "Why are you having me teach you? Shouldn't your boyfriend do that?"

"He already tried." Said Yuugi, grinning sheepishly. "I'm uh, a little worse than terrible and Yami doesn't have a lot of extra time. He's a natural so he is an absolutely terrible teacher since he doesn't know what it's like to struggle. Don't tell him I said that by the way. Oh, and I have to wear heels and his toes looked like they might fall off if I stepped on them one more time."

Mal didn't change expression, though with each reveal his finger tapped against his folder arms in quicker succession.

"Then have idiot here teach you." Said Mal, practically twitching with irritation.

"Yuugi, I think Mal just gave me my first pet name." said Marik. "We're already further than you and your man."

"Please Mal." Said Yuugi, now ignoring Marik. The man was a blast, but he was also horrible at taking a situation seriously, and she needed some serious help with her dancing. She stopped her kidding, letting Mal see that this was not a joke. All the laughter died from her face as she stared at him. "I don't want to be the reason Yami is broken off from his family. I could never forgive myself if that happened."

Mal appeared shocked for a moment at Yuugi's change in tone, but then his gaze hardened, frowning. "What are you talking about, broken off from his family?"

"If I can't get his mother's approval by the time Yami is 18, his family will disown him." Said Yuuugi. "He had to choose between me or his family and inheritance, and he chose me. They have given us this opportunity for me to prove myself so Yami can have both. I am desperate."

It wasn't possible for her to joke about it, not yet at least. Her stomach still churned at the thought of Yami losing his family for her sake.

 _No, it's for our sake._ She through, remembering Yami's words. She didn't want to break up with Yami, and Yami didn't want to break up with her. They had both agreed to the possible consequences, but that didn't mean she couldn't try being greedy and get everything.

The Egyptian stared at him for another ten seconds before closing his eyes slowly, looking as if he were silently praying. Then he let out a breath.

"Fine." He said through clenched teeth. "I'll help teach you."

He then gave a yell as Yuugi glomped him. "Thank you Mal! I knew I could count on you."

Mal just gave up, giving a groan of ' _why me?'_ as Marik then tried to pry Yuugi off because he was getting jealous and wanted in on the group hug.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **Special thanks to the wonderful reviewers that keep be going! Mistoka, Justsomeone, Jaylonni Love, xSinfulPharaohx, MadolcheAnjelly, BreakfastForLife, ForeverWildfire2.0, Hiei Dragon Girl, vcjb242, RenMow11, ASHLEYDACYAT, Money100, SkyNakama27, whitlaw123, Scarlet Vow. Wow I can't tell you how awesome it feels to have you guys keep up with this with each post!**

 **ANyhoo Jaylonni Love, lol. I hate PDA. It's one of my pet peeves, but that's cause I don't like others doing it and I don't want to be a hypocrite hating on others yet offering my PDA to everyone. Yuugi and Yami on the other hand, have no problem with it apparently.**

 **BreakfastForLife, oh gosh I've done that to my sister all the time. She always knows when I've started reading cause I stop talking.**


	79. Chapter 79

Chapter 79

"You go from outside in." said Kisara, pointing to the multiple copies of utensils on the table. "And the one at the top is always for desert. Makes it easy to remember."

"Right." Said Yuugi, eating her food slowly. Kisara had cooked dinner for Yuugi, saying it would be good practice for the party. For once, Yuugi was having a lesson without Jou, the blonde having had other plans today. Yuugi was grateful for the one on one instruction. This one was on table etiquette, and she was struggling to understand the western layout of table settings. There were just too many shiny things to keep track of. It felt like a huge mess to Yuugi would have been happy with a bowl and chopsticks.

It also helped Yuugi get to know Kisara better. Kiseki was sleeping so it was just the two of them. Kisara was sweet, kind, and a little on the shy side especially without Yami or Jou there to buffer the conversation, but eventually Yuugi got comfortable enough to bring up the one thing that was nagging at her since her first visit.

"Can I ask you a question?" said Yuugi.

"Of course." Said Kisara,

Yuugi deliberated how to ask this without feeling awkward, then realized there was no way to do so.

"Did you ever like Yami? As more than a friend?" she finally said. "I've noticed that sometimes when you talk to or about Yami, you just… I don't know. Seem really happy."

Kisara didn't look surprised at the questions, instead smiling knowingly at Yuugi.

"It's not exactly what it seems." Said Kisara, cutting at her stake and flawlessly switching hands to place the piece in her mouth. She chewed and swallowed before speaking, as was the correct way to do so.

"It's more like I'm in love with the way he's in love." She said finally.

Yuugi blinked in confusion, wondering what she was talking about.

"I don't understand." Said Yuugi.

"It's just." continued Kisara. "When he talks about you, you can tell how deeply in love he is. It's beautiful. To see someone shine so brightly when they speak about the one they love, I envy it. You have that same glow about you as well Yuugi."

"Oh." Said Yuugi, unsure how to take the reveal. She felt a mixture of embarrassment and sorrow for Kisara, who had been deceived and eventually thrown away by the one she had loved. No wonder she envied Yuugi's and Yami's mutual love.

"Don't worry." Said Kisara. "I'm not in love with Yami, and I'd never try to take him from you. The Yami I love is the one that is in love with you. I want more than anything to see him happy."

"I'm not worried." Said Yuugi, who internally smacked herself. Mostly she wasn't worried because Yami had made it perfectly clear to her that he was in love with her. She would have felt bad if Kisara had loved Yami since it wouldn't have worked out. But that sounded like a total jerk thing to say so she had instead decided to first confirm her suspicious before anything else.

Kisara laughed. "If my boyfriend had been going to another woman's house at frequent intervals, I'd be worried too. I actually made him stop coming as much since he started dating you. You are his top priority woman, not me. I know he only comes because he feels guilty for what happened, but it's not his fault. He's the one that saved my life."

"Saved your life?" said Yuugi. "What do you mean by that?"

Her posture tensed, shrinking in on herself. The atmosphere became strained, completely different from the light hearted feeling from before.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Said Yuugi quickly, not wanting her to be upset.

"No, it's fine." Said Kisara, eyes lowered onto her plate. She was now poking at her food, proper etiquette completely forgotten. "It's just… Yami found me… right after I tried to commit suicide."

"What?"

Thousands of thoughts buzzed through Yuugi's head, none of them catching long enough for her to make sense of them. She just stared, and then realized she was being rude.

"Well..." said Yuugi, who had no idea what to say. "I uh, I'm sorry to hear that you… uh."

 _Wow, that was smooth Yuugi._ She thought.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." Said Kisara quickly.

"No, it's not your fault." Said Yuugi. "I asked a question and you answered it. I… just didn't know how to react."

Her hands fell onto her lap as she stared at them. She could hardly believe that someone as kind and beautiful as Kisara would contemplate taking her life, let alone try it. She was wonderful. Why would anyone want to be horrible to her? To think that the things said and done to her by other humans had made her want to commit suicide. It made Yuugi angry. Absolutely livid. Her hands started to shake, trying to control her anger.

"Yuugi?" said Kisara, her concern snapping Yuugi's attention back to her.

"Sorry." Said Yuugi, taking a breath and releasing her anger as she exhaled. "I just… I'm glad Yami was there to help you."

It explained why Yami had been so freaked about the situation, including the pregnancy and everything. She suddenly remembered when Yami had told her his brief account of the events and how haunted he had looked. He had no doubt blamed himself for Kisara almost dying. Idiot. He should recognize he had saved her life instead.

"When I get a hold of him..." Said Yuugi under her breath, then she raised her head, gaze firm as she stared at Kisra. "Yami's an idiot. And you know what Kisara? So are all of those people that picked on you. They're shallow, short sighted pieces of trash that don't understand just how amazing you are. I'm glad to call you a friend, and I'm happy when I'm with you."

Kisara's eyes widened, and a dark blush flashed across her cheeks.

"Uh, thanks Yuugi." She said, her voice quiet, squirming from embarrassment. She couldn't look Yuugi in the eyes, that blush still on her cheeks. It was somewhat odd to see her react this way. Kisara seemed so mature most of the time, having to grow up quickly since she was a single mother. But at that moment Yuugi could see the girl Kisara was in some ways. Insecure, and stumbling through life like the rest of them.

A large smile spread across Yuugi's face. "Anytime."

They enjoyed the next hours chatting happily, the slight awkwardness gone as Kisara had finally opened up to Yuugi, no longer shy.

* * *

The rest of the week passed too quickly, Yuugi stumbling through her last minuet lessons. MVP for helping her through everything turned out to be Mal. He'd managed to power through Yuugi's dancing lessons with her, the task earning him the nobel peace prize in Yuugi's opinion. In one lesson she had managed to stab all of his toes with her heel, elbow him in the stomach, and bang the top of her head into his chin. They'd cut that lesson short, deciding it would be better to ice his many injuries instead.

But along with helping her learn to dance, he'd also gone dress shopping along with Yami and Anzu. Yuugi loved her boyfriend to pieces, but she soon realized Yami had no idea what would look good on Yuugi as a female. Thankfully she had two self-proclaimed experts in fashion to help her, thought they didn't always see eye to eye.

"Ohh, don't you think this would look great on you Yuugi?" said Anzu, holding up a blue halter top floor length dress.

"I doubt it." Said Mal. "The dress screams _'I'm a slut.'_ Do you not see how low the back is? Yuugi's 17. Who wants to sexualize a child?"

"There's nothing wrong with it. I have a dress just as low." Said Anzu. "Are you calling me a slut?"

"Well if the shoe fits princess."

"They're like cats in a dog fight." Said Yuugi, who was standing by Yami, safely ten feet away from the other two as they went at it. It had been like this for the whole shopping trip, the two throwing opinions back and forth. Mal hadn't been lying. He didn't like women, and he had no problem expressing the view to Anzu. What surprised Yuugi the most was how vehemently Anzu was fighting back.

"Yes, but they've managed to find some great options for you." Said Yami. "And I think it's more of a mutual respect for each other than anything else. Anzu has always loved fashion but no one else in the group shares her interest. She finally has an ally Malik, thought it looks like their styles and opinions differ greatly."

"That's an understatement." Said Yuugi, watching as they were now arguing about what color would look better on Yuugi. She decided that intervening would be necessary if they were to get anything done.

"Girls, you're both pretty. Can I just try something on now?" said Yuugi.

"NO!" both shouted at Yuugi, identical looks of irritation on their face.

Yuugi gave a squeak, running to hide behind Yami,

On second thought, maybe she could help Yami pick out a nice tie.

Eventually they left with something everyone agreed on, getting some low heels and jewelry to go with it. Yuugi couldn't help crying internally when she saw how much the dress was. Yami had offered to pay, and she had caught him trying to do so sneakily, but she had stopped him and done it herself.

"If I make it through this first night and get invited to another party, you can buy me another dress." Said Yuugi, handing her card to the cashier.

"Then consider it done." Said Yami. "I'm sure you'll do great."

Yuugi hoped so. She had done all that she could, studied everything she needed, and spent the day before driving her gramps up the wall with her constant stream of commentary on what could go wrong. Thankfully Yami had arrived and helped calm her down. They had spent the evening siting on the couch, drinking hot cocoa and playing several games of duel monsters. It had served as the perfect distraction from her buzzing thoughts.

Tomorrow was the day, her chance to prove herself, and Yuugi was determined succeed.

* * *

 **Thanks for your love and reviews! Money100, Werezoroark, whitlaw123, Jaylonni Love, ForeverWildfire2.0, Scarlet Vow, Guest, Lily D. Cave, MadolcheAnjelly, SkyNakama27, xSinfulPharaohx, Neko Yasha of the Sky, BreakfastForLife, Justsomeone, Hiei Dragon Girl RequiemRein, ASHLEYDACYAT, and RenMow11.**

 **What dances did she have to learn? Hmm, good questions. Probably just a simple box step waltz. That was probably the extent of her abilities. She's not the athletic or coordinated type. And Yup, Mal is a fun character to set loose on the rest of the gang. Or maybe they're set loose on him?..**


	80. Chapter 80

Chapter 80

A row of high class cars lined outside of the Atlantis State Hotel, valets taking keys and tips as they parked cars. Each occupant emerged from their vehicle, glowing with a luxurious aura that only the wealthy could reproduce. Expensive dresses, glittering jewelry, sharp dressed men all entered, laughing at the world in their splendor. It was a sight to behold, one that inspired envy from all that stood outside looking in. It embodied the good life, the one of luxury and excess.

Then another car came, this one just as extravagant as the others, yet the one that emerged from within didn't hold the same glitter as the other guests.

The glow within her was different, born from excitement, nervousness and determination. There was no self-importance or arrogance in her walk, rather a light that drew others in instead of excluding them to a harsh glow. She wore a tan pea coat, fur trimming the collar and sheltering her from the cold. Black hair tipped with purple had been pulled to one side of her face, a thick intricate plait descending over her shoulder. Gold bangs had been woven across her head to thread into the braid. Her large expressive eyes had been winged with black eyeliner, cheeks dusted with pink from both cold and restlessness.

From the other side of the car came a man, as glamorous as the others, though his light seemed to be fueled by the one by his side. He wore a fitted charcoal gray suite that complemented his slim build. Underneath he wore a white button down and stripped blue tie with a matching pocket squire. Together with his handsome sharp red eyes, he drew the eyes of every woman, probably causing a few traffic violations nearby as they stopped to gape at him. He took no notice of their attention, his completely on the woman besides him. He took her arm, leading her through the open doors where the light was spilling out into the twilight.

"Relax Yuugi." soothed Yami, rubbing calming circles on the back of her hand. "We've barely arrived and you're already jittery."

"Maybe I'm jittery because we arrived." retorted Yuugi, flashing him a light glare. "This is it Yami! It's all hinging on tonight. Excuse me for being a little nervous."

"Well, not everything." Said Yami with a shrug. "No matter what happens, I have you. Find comfort that the most important thing is not at stake here tonight, just the inconsequential."

Yuugi couldn't help smiling at that. Yes, she did find comfort in his presence, and that no matter what they would be together. Yet she still wanted to do this. She wanted to show his mother that she deserved him. She wanted to show her that not everything of value had a price tag on it. She wanted everything to work out.

In the foyer, the staff took her coat, handing her a number in exchange. She decided to keep her purse, the small bag containing some emergency essentials. The dress she wore was sleeveless with keyhole neckline, the blue fabric extending down to completely cover her legs with layers of fabric. Unlike the other blue dress Anzu had suggested at the shop, this one didn't have a low back. The group had decided to go with a more adult look, trying to add a few years to her appearance. The result only made her look her age, due to her permanent baby face.

Yuugi was proud of her friend's talents. Between Mal, and Anzu, Yuugi had completely changed her usual look. Instead of a cute girl, she would instead be presented tonight as a mature woman. Yeah, it was scary how woman could change so easily with just a little makeup and the right outfit. It must be witchcraft!

Even Yami seemed a little dazed by her. His eyes were drinking in her appearance, unaware of the small twerking of his lips as they pulled into a smirk.

"I thought you said you liked me just fine without makeup." teased Yuugi, snapping him from his daze. "Even better, you said. Yet you can't keep your eyes off of me right now."

"I love all forms of you Yuugi." Said Yami seamlessly. "You'll have to excuse me for getting lost in this new version of you. This one more precious in its rarity."

"Smooth recovery." She acknowledged, her cheeks turning slightly pink. "Since when have you become the flatterer?" He had so easily said that he loved her, casually dropping it into their conversation. It was something that would have never happened a few weeks ago.

"Would you believe me if I said I was consciously trying to do better?" said Yami. "We've had too many misunderstandings because I didn't communicate. I don't want you to ever doubt my feelings again."

Yuugi squeezed her eyes shut, shaking her head hard.

"Gah! Yami, we can't do this right now. My mind is going to mush mode instead of battle mode!"

"Sorry." He said with a face that said he didn't mean it.

He presented his arm, which she took, relying on his as they walked down the hall. The hotel was the site of the birthday party, said birthday man owning the hotel and many others across the nation. Other such facts were leaping into Yuugi's head as she silently reviewed everything she had learned about everyone. The last thing she needed was to disgrace the guest somehow with her ignorance.

They arrived at the room where the main party was, many of the guests already there. It immediately reminded Yuugi of the party she had attended once before with Ryuji. There was a banquet table at the side of the room laden with food. Tables with white laced tablecloths were nearby, seated with occupants at various stages of eating. A live ensemble played some classical waltz where many people were dancing. Everything was perfect and dazzling.

So perfect it made her uncomfortable.

"Are you ready for the first hurdle?" said Yami.

Yuugi stared back into the room, changing her personal lens. She let the sparkle fade, saw the people beneath the makeup and money. She buried her inner dialog of comparing and judging herself, instead leaning on the memory that she had Yami with her. That Yami wanted her. That beneath everything, they were all the same.

And suddenly, everyone looked human again.

"I'm ready."

Yami nodded, no doubt noticing the change in her, his arm tugging her towards two certain people. One of which Yuugi was familiar with. The other, she was not.

Izumi turned to greet them, pressing a hand to her husband's arm to alert them of their arrival, and Yuugi got the first look at Yami's dad in person.

He was tall like the pictures online had showed her. He had a firm, intimidating face, a short gray bear matching his slicked back hair. He frowned as Yuugi approached, eyeing her. The look didn't help her fleeting moment of bravery, making her stomach quiver.

"Father." Said Yami, motioning towards Yuugi. "This is my girlfriend Yuugi Mutou. Yuugi, this is my father."

"It's nice to meet you." Said Yuugi politely, giving a bow. She then turned her perfectly polite smile towards Izumi. "And it's good to see you again Mrs Sennen."

"Please, call me Izumi. I'll allow you to use it." Said Izumi, not a single hint of a smile anywhere in her face. Yuugi's nerves took a blow, recognizing the taunt from their previous conversation. Her stomach exploded into a storm of butterflies, threatening to make her sick on her feet.

Aknamkanon returned Yuugi's bow, albeit a shorter one than hers. "I wish I could say the same." He said. "I wasn't pleased to hear that my son was secretly dating some backwater girl from god knows what family. It's considered polite in descent society to let the parents know when you are dating their son."

Aaaaand he was picking a fight form the start. Well that at least got rid of the possible giant elephant in the room. In many ways, Yuugi appreciated it. The confrontation helped her relax, sprinting from the gunshot instead of waiting anxiously at the gate.

"I believe it's the other way around." Said Yuugi. "The man usually introduces himself to the woman's parents, and I never meant for it to be a secret. I was never asked, nor was I ever invited over."

"A fault on my part I believe." Interjected Yami, lacing his hands through her fingers. He gave them an encouraging squeeze. "You can't blame her for my mistakes."

"Like I give a real damn." Said Aknamkanon. "Look missy, I know you know about this arrangement between us and our son. I don't have to approve of you, so you can stop trying to butter up to me. Just don't distract Yami from his studies."

"She won't." said Yami.

"Oh?" said Izumi. "But I heard Yuugi was going to apply for the same university as you Yami? Are you sure she won't be a distraction there as well?"

"If by distraction, you mean my source of happiness, then yes, she will be there as well." Said Yami, a dangerous smile on his face.

Aknamkanon turned his attention to Yuugi, giving her a calculating stare. "You have an interest in business as well?" he said. "Or are you just leeching off of my son?"

 _Must. Be. Polite._ She recited in her head.

"I've been helping my grandfather in the game shop since I was little." Said Yuugi. (The game shop the couple in front of her now owned.) "I won't lie and say that I've always had an interest in business, but I've always enjoyed it. When I heard the other part of your deal with Yami I made my decision."

That apparently hadn't been the best answer based on the look Aknamkanon gave her, and her heart sank. Unfortunately, it was the truth, and she had no desire to be fake and sugar coat her words to appeal to Yami's dad.

"An attitude like that won't do well." Said Aknamkanon, waving his hand at her. "You'll just be eaten by the sharks. Quit while you're ahead."

"I don't think you want me to quit." Said Yuugi. "Quitting means I don't go and Yami doesn't either. It means we lose the deal, and you lose your son. I'm not sure that's what you want."

The second those words left her mouth she wanted them back. How stupid could she be to say something like that? What good was basically threatening the two people that had all the power in this situation? But she had been angry, on the defense, and felt like it was time to stand up for herself. It felt right, but it was also stupid.

The same thoughts were reflected in the parent's faces. They looked at her as if she were a child throwing a tantrum, exasperated by her cries.

"We obviously mean to take our studying seriously." Said Yami, swooping in to save her fumble. Again. "It's impossible for you to judge what has yet to happen father. All you required was for me to graduate in the top percent. Don't go adding new conditions."

There was a pause where everyone was staring intently at each other, the tension in the air so thick that it made Yuugi squirm. She held Aknamkanon's gaze for as long as she could before she broke eye contact.

"Then I will look forward to your grade reports." Said Aknamkanon gruffly. "That is, assuming you manage to get my wife's approval."

Yuugi recognized the possible end to the conversation. She was glad when Yami took the offered dismissal, bowing and saying they would see them later. Yuugi gave her quick goodbyes, noticing the way Izumi had not taken her eyes off of Yuugi the whole exchange. They walked away with no real destination, Yuugi clutching Yami's arm for emotional support.

The moment they were a good distance away, Yuugi let out a groan.

"Gosh, I'm stupid." Said Yuugi, rubbing her forehead. "I sounded like a child. Seriously, I messed up."

"It's not as bad as you're making it to be." Said Yami, taking the hand that was rubbing her forehead and removing it from her face. He stopped in front of her, smiling encouragingly at her.

"But it was the first meeting." Said Yuugi, already going back to her habit of beating herself up about little things. "I was supposed to make a good impression. Instead I opened my big fat mouth and all but threatened them with your disinheritance. You don't have to be nice Yami, I know I messed up."

"Not entirely." Said Yami. "Part of this society is running with mistakes as if you meant to make them, so don't fret so openly about it. People interpret that as a weakness. It was also good in a way. The truth is that we do hold some of the cards in this situation. Both parties want something, and if we back down from the start, they will gain control of us. By standing up to them, you've shown that you can recognize when you have an advantage and are not afraid to use it. The way you threatened them suggested that the only option for them to come out with benefits from this ridiculous arrangement is for us to win. The only reason they gave you such pitying looks is because they still think I'll break up with you in the end. So you see Yuugi, you shouldn't feel ashamed. You should feel confident, because they do not understand a part of this situation that you see so clearly."

Yuugi blinked several times, feelings slightly dizzy from his explanation.

"Did you seriously get all that just from one exchange?" said Yuugi. "The heck! What happened to just talking to people because you like them?"

"Because my parents don't believe in casual conversation." Said Yami. "Everything is a business deal, and they're not the only ones."

"I can feel the mistakes just waiting to happen." groaned Yuugi. "Why did we not practice this as well for the last few weeks?"

"Because you don't need it." Said Yami. "You have your own way of interacting with others that isn't closed off and fake like businessmen. You are genuine, and that is something more precious that can't be taught. Don't aspire to be like them Yuugi, they should aspire to be like you."

Yuugi gave him a look, one between a frown of displeasure and an amused smile. It was the look where she was happy with him but still felt the need to scold him.

"Keep the complements running all night." Said Yuugi, "I already feel like an idiot from one conversation, I'll need back up to survive."

"Not a problem." Said Yami. "Though they're not just compliments. I'm speaking truth."

"Your deluded truth of my perfection."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **Scarlet Vow, Hiei Dragon Girl, RequiemRein, ForeverWildfire2.0Money100, MadolcheAnjelly, whitlaw123, justsomeone, xSinfulPharaohx, RenMow11, ASHLEYDACYAT, Mistoka, and Jaylonni Love! Thank you so much for your reviews! Y'all are the best of the best!**

 **I know I know, it took me a long while to update. I needed a break and figured it was a good place to take one. Now onward!**

 **RenMow11, I have not tried publishing, but the reason I first started writing on FF was to get practice so I can one day publish something.**


	81. Chapter 81

Chapter 81

Yuugi had barely recovered from her conflict with Yami's parents when someone walked up to them. It was a couple, probably in their late thirties based on the man. It was impossible to tell with women. They all looked ageless with their Botox and makeup.

"Yami, it's good to see you." said the man, shaking Yami's hand.

"Good to see you as well Tadasu, Asaji." Said Yami, nodding to the husband then wife respectively.

"And who is this accompanying you tonight?" said Tadasu.

"This here is Yuugi Mutou." Said Yami. "She's my girlfriend."

"Girlfriend?"

They were surprised, both giving Yuugi another look over. She couldn't help her insides squirming at this first meeting with a stranger, one from this background that now knew her position as Yami's girlfriend. But she kept her head high, face in a pleasant expression.

"Yuugi, this is Tadasu and Asaji Takahashi." Said Yami. "Tadasu is in charge of Takahashi industries, his company dealing mostly in textiles."

"It's nice to meet you." Said Yuugi, giving a bow. She gave herself a pat on the back for not falling over her heels at the gesture. "If I remember correctly, your company works with the Sennen's to produce the millennium brand."

"That we do." Said Tadasu with a wink. "We've had a long relationship with the Sennen company, a fact my wife has to remind me of all the time. You'd think she's hinting to divorce an old man like me and trade me in for a younger stronger one."

Tadasu gave a laugh at his own joke, Yuugi allowing herself to smile as well. She knew his type, and was instantly amused by him.

"At least I don't rotate men each party." Said Asaji, giving Yami an interesting look. "Isn't this the first official girlfriend you've had since the fiasco with Kisara?"

"It is." Said Yami

"I'm surprised it took you this long to settle again." Said Tadasu. "What does your family do Yuugi?"

Yuugi had known this question was coming. It was common apparently in this society to measure a person's worth by their family name and business. It didn't stop her from feeling a little smaller as she answered.

"I live with my grandfather. He owns a small game store here in Domino." Said Yuugi.

"Does he now?" said Tadsu. "Well, Domino is a great place to own such a business. The city is unusually obsessed with gaming compared to the rest of the country."

"My gramps will take credit for that, as he had quite the loyal cliental." Said Yuugi with a smile.

As she assumed he would, Tadasu gave a laugh, responding to Yuugi's poor joke. After that the conversation steered away for Yuugi, a fact she was grateful for and went back onto Yami. They made pleasant conversation for about five minutes before saying goodbye.

As they walked away, Yami tugged on her arm.

"Well Yuugi, what was your impression of them?" said Yami, gesturing to the couple behind them.

Yuugi thought, considering.

"They seem nice enough." Said Yuugi. "But I can't shake that there was something slightly off. Like, some underlying tension I don't understand. It actually set me on edge a bit"

"At least you catch on quickly." Said Yami. "They're the type that's friendly if it suites their situation, yet they have no problem dropping you as soon as it stops benefiting them."

"I didn't get that impression at all." Said Yuugi, surprised at Yami's analysis of the couple.

"I won't say anything else so you can decide for yourself." Said Yami. "But that will probably be the friendliest greeting you'll get. Since they work with the company, they're more inclined to flatter us since it benefits them to keep a good relationship."

"I'll be on my guard, so don't worry." Said Yuugi. They had only gone over this a million times. "And I've got you with me. They can't be too rude when you're here."

The look Yami gave her didn't help her confidence in the statement.

For the next hour, Yuugi and Yami made their way through the party guests, Yuugi snatching a glass from a roaming butler. She had been happy to have something in her hands to occupy them. She kept drinking from nerves more than thirst. She'd probably have to go to the bathroom several times that night

They talked to all sorts of different people. All of them seemed to know Yami, and they all had different reactions to Yuugi's presence. Some completely ignored her, polite enough to ask her name and then talk only to Yami about things she didn't understand. Others laughed. One had said they didn't believe they were a couple, since Yami wasn't the type to settle down with just one girl.

There had even been a woman, haughty with a thin pointed nose that had narrowed her eyes at Yuugi before saying: "Surely you can do better Yami."

Yami hadn't been happy with that comment to say the least.

With each person they met, the more Yuugi's nerves began to settle. True, some had been rude, while others hadn't cared, but it was nice to finally be here and not making some absolutely horrible mistake. There had even been quite a few people Yuugi had actually liked. Most in fact now that she thought about it. The outright rude ones had been few and far between… or maybe she was just being optimistic

Yuugi was sipping on her 4th drink when she noticed a group of people nearby looking at her. When Yuugi made eye contact with one of them, they turned to their friend, speaking low and smirking in her direction. Their comment had drifted to Yuugi, who had only been able to hear it because she had been paying attention to them.

 _"_ _I wonder how much Yami pays for her services a night?"_

Yuugi coughed in her drink, bringing Yami's attention to her.

"Whoh, careful there." he said, swiping a napkin from a table and handing it to her.

"Thanks." She muttered, whipping her face. Now that she was listening, she heard the snickers from the others around her.

 _"_ _How uncouth."_

 _"_ _It's disgraceful for them to bring such uncultured scum here."_

 _"_ _The Sennen's have really lowered their standard haven't they?"_

The eyes were everywhere. She could feel them looking at her, sneering at her. Telling her she was worthless and disgraceful to Yami's name. No matter where she turned, someone was judging her.

Yuugi closed her eyes tight for a moment, taking a breath.

"Yuugi?" said Yami. "Are you alright?"

"Just fine." Said Yuugi opening her eyes with a grimace. "I think I just reached a new benchmark. My status as girlfriend is getting around and people are talking about it."

No wonder Kisara had been effected even with Yami by her side. Just knowing that people were judging Yuugi, criticizing her and talking so openly about it was nerve-wracking. She could see it in their faces. Like that person just past Yami's shoulder! They had looked at her as if she were gum stuck on the bottom if their shoe.

Even if half of it was in her own head, it didn't matter. This type of tension could get to someone really quickly.

"They probably are." Said Yami, glancing around the room before turning his attention back on her. "We have been talking to a lot of people. Do you need a break?"

"That would be helpful." Said Yuugi. "Let's get some food. I'm actually hungry."

* * *

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 **Things will get more interesting I promise.  
**


	82. Chapter 82

Chapter 82

They had made it to the other side of the room when the head of some shaggy blonde hair caught Yuugi's attention.

"Hey, I think I see Jou." Said Yuugi, perking up.

Sure enough, some twenty feet away was Jou, dressed up in a suit and tie, talking to Kaiba. Jou was frowning, but not in an unpleasant way. More like he was in deep discussion with Kaiba. Yuugi was surprised, since all she had seen was frustration from the two when they were in each other's presence. Kaiba's back was turned to them, so they couldn't see his expression.

The strange sight didn't last long however. Jou visibly bristled in irritation, talking more angrily to Kaiba.

Yuugi and Yami approached, just catching the tail end of their conversation.

"- don't need a bet to know that Kaiba." Jou was saying. "You're a selfish egotistical bastard that only cares about money and enjoys screwing people over. "

"How can I not, when you make it so entertaining to do so?" said Kaiba.

"You-"

"Stop antagonizing Jounouchi, Kaiba." said Yami, his voice snapping their attention towards him and Yuugi. "Not everyone can stand the sight of your flirting."

Kaiba's eyes narrowed, while Jou responded by becoming even more flustered. "We're not- I would never with this prick! The thought of it makes me sick."

"If you say so." Said Yami patiently, which just made Jou grumble even more. Kaiba hadn't said anything, his usually stoic face glaring at Yami. Yuugi mentally noted that Kaiba hadn't denied Yami's claim on flirting.

"We're about to get some food." Said Yuugi. "Want to come with us?"

"We already ate." Said Kaiba, at the same time Jou said: "Hell yeah, I'm starving!"

The two of them glared at each other.

"I guess you have to eat when you can." Said Kaiba. "A stray mutt like you probably is used to only scraps. This must be heaven to you."

That comment had hit a nerve. Jou rounded on Kaiba, waving his fist at him. "I am so done with you Kaiba!" said Jounouchi, bearing his teeth. "Dog this, mutt that. Why do yah gotten beat a man down just because he's poor? I thought for a second that yah could be a decent human being, but I guess I was wrong. I won' make that mistake again."

He rounded on his heel, grabbing Yuugi by the shoulder and leading her away, calling to Kaiba: "And you can forget our bet. I'm going home with these two tonight."

"No you won't." said Kaiba.

He said spoken so quietly that Yuugi doubted Jou had heard it. Instead, they had stomped away to the dinner table, Yami trailing behind them.

Witnessing Jou and Kaiba fight was nothing new, but there was definitely something different from just that exchange. She wondered if Jounouchi had noticed it.

They arrived at the buffet, Jou occupying himself by loading Yuugi's plate for her.

"You've got to try some of this." said Jou. "It's some strange egg roll thing with some weird sauce. I have no idea what's in it but it tastes amazing."

"I hope you plan on helping me with this." said Yuugi, looking at her overflowing plate. Jou's own was just as full. It was half the size of her. She also did her best to ignore the pointed stares they were getting since Jou was being so loud. He really had no sense of personal awareness. She somewhat envied him at that moment.

"I'm happy to see the two of you getting along again." Said Yami, dotting his own plate with a few items. "You and Kaiba I mean."

"We don't get along." Said Jou, pointing some salad tongs at Yami. "And stop smiling at me like dat! I know what you've been saying. You have this strange idea dat me and Kaiba are crushin' on each other."

"Then why bother coming tonight?" said Yami.

"To help support my bud of course." Said Jou, nodding towards Yuugi.

"So it had nothing to do with the supposed bet where Kaiba said; 'you couldn't last an evening in high society without making a fool of yourself.'"

"None whatsoever." grumbled Jou.

"Excuse me for not believing you." Said Yami.

"Then go and believe whatever you want." Said Jounouchi. "I'm going to take your girlfriend away and have a nice time with someone that isn't trying to pare me up with a soulless monster wearing a man's skin."

"I thought it was a date as well." Said Yuugi.

Jou gave Yuugi a surprised and disappointed look, as if he had just been told the Easter bunny wasn't real and he had to stop putting out rabbit traps.

"Not you too Yuugi!" he said. "I thought you were my friend."

"Just be glad Marik isn't coming tonight." Said Yuugi with a grin. "He's too busy bothering Mal or else he'd be here heckling you worse than all of us."

"Lucky me." drawled Jou sarcastically.

They got their food and walked towards the tables. All of them had at least one or two people at the place, so they'd have to sit with someone. Yuugi noticed two people the she recognized and pointed them out to Yami.

"Should we sit with them?" said Yuugi. "I met them with Ryuji."

"I don't think they like me though." Said Yami, eying the two men.

"All the more reason for us to go sit with them." Said Jou, marching to the table.

"Your revenge is so childish." Said Yami, reluctantly following.

"I'm just thinkin' about your girlfriend who so nicely asked to sit with them." Said Jou, smirking at Yami.

"I don't think he's happy with you." Said Yuugi to Yami, who replied by rolling his eyes.

As the three of them approached, the other two looked up, the brunet showing obvious surprise at seeing them approach. The other just raised an eyebrow.

"Yuugi, is that you?" said Judai.

"Hi Judai, Yusei." Said Yuugi, smiling and waving. "Do you mind if we come sit with you?"

"Of course!" said Judai, smiling and nodding to the other seats, where Jou had already sat down before Yuugi had even asked. Yuugi took the seat by Judai, Yami on her right and Jou seated with a space on either side of him.

"This is Jou." Said Yuugi, motioning to Jounouchi. "he's one of my good friends from school."

"Nice to meet cha." Said Judai with a good natured smile. "I'm Judai, and this one here is Yusei."

"Nice to meet yah as well." Said Jou, before digging into his food with a vengeance.

"And I honestly don't know if you two have ever met Yami before." Said Yuugi, glancing at Yami. She was aware of the slightly stiff looks the other two were giving Yami. Judai's smile had started twitching, while Yusei just stared silently, a challenge in his eyes.

"We have." Said Yami, nodding to them. "We've seen each other at a lot of these things."

"Yeah, I guess we just hang with different crowds." Said Judai, who then gave an awkward cough.

"Well I'm glad to see you two." Said Yuugi honestly. "I was scared I wouldn't know too many people here tonight."

"Didn't you come last time only knowing like, two people?" said Judai.

"Yeah, but I wasn't forced to socialize like I am now." Said Yuugi. "Sorry for running off last time. I probably didn't make a very good first impression."

She gave a nervous laugh. Yuugi had liked talking to Yusei and Judai last time and had been relieved to see them. She hoped they still liked her after the mess with Ryuji and Yami.

"Oh, don't even worry about it." Said Judai, waving a hand. "Ryuji told us about it later. Sorry you got caught in all the drama"

"I'm not." Said Yuugi, nodding towards Yami. "A lot of thing finally got cleared up because of it."

"Isn't that the truth?" said Judai with a grimace. "Ryuji's so happy he just starts whistling randomly. I wouldn't care except he does it constantly at work! Ugh, if he wasn't my boss I think I'd murder him."

Yuugi laughed. "I didn't realize you guys worked together. I thought you were just friends."

"That too unfortunately." Said Judai shaking his head. "Yusei and him were childhood friends and he got pulled into this mess when Ryuji's family first started selling dungeon dice monsters. I was assigned to help by Pegasus and now I'm in too deep to get out! Every day it's dealing with stupid co-workers and setting appointments no one bother's keeping. Man, I want to quit!"

"No you don't." said Yusei.

"Yes I do!" said Judai, thumping his forehead on the table and leaving it there. "I'm giving Ryuji my resignation tonight. I'm too young for this kind of responsibility."

Yusei rolled his eyes, giving Yuugi the impression this threat was a common occurrence.

"I'm guessing business is doing well then?" said Yuugi.

"Business is doing well." echoed Yusei, a hint of a smirk on his face.

Yuugi then realized that Yusei must be like Ryuji. If he had been friends with Ryuji, then his association with Dungeon Dice Monsters had given him the monetary status needed to be invited to a party like this. Then something else clicked.

"Wait a moment." Said Yuugi. "How old are you Judai?"

The brunet held up three fingers, not raising his head.

"You're thirteen?" said Yuugi, confused.

"He's thirty." Said Yusei. "And before you ask, I'm only twenty-one"

"Dude!" said Jou, giving a laugh. "I though Yuug' had a baby face. He's got you beat man."

Judai raised his head just enough to shoot a pout at Jounouchi.

Yuugi put a sympathetic hand on Judai's arm. He turned to Yuugi, eyes hesitant and full of fear.

"Don't worry Judai," said Yuugi. "you have a friend in me. The ignorant will never know our pain."

"Hey!"

"Yuugi, I didn't realize you were just like me." Said Judai, eye sparkling. He perked up, taking Yuugi's hand between his own and giving it a squeeze. "After all this time, I finally found someone that understands my pain. Of being carded at every rater R movie and stopped at carnival rides. Why were we cursed with such appearances?"

Yuugi nodded seriously. She still was asked occasionally if she had gotten lost when she went out alone. It was nice to know she wasn't alone in this torture.

The two of them basked in their comradery for a moment, unaware of both men on either side, their frowns deepening into glowers at Yuugi and Judai's hands still clasped together.

* * *

 **Thank you for your reviews! Unitato722, Jaylonni Love, SkyNakama27, Money100, RenMow11, ASHLEYDACYAT, whitlaw123, Guest, RequiemRein, MadolcheAnjelly, Hiei Dragon Girl, and xSinfulPharaohx.**

 **RenMow11, nope. I literally picked a random last name for the ransom couple they ran into. I'm so thorough. XD  
**


	83. Chapter 83

Chapter 83

More than anything Yuugi was glad to have found two people in the room she could trust. Had she been forced to eat with people that were judging her every more, she doubted she could have taken one bite. She had already counted four mistakes in her etiquette just in the past ten minutes. But no one noticed because they didn't seem to care.

The table had been talking happily, Jou making his way through his enormous plate without a thought for anything he had learned from Kisra. Yuugi had to share hers with Yami, hating to see food wasted and knowing he had only gotten a little for that purpose. Neither Yusei or Jaden had even batted and eye at it, which made Yuugi glad. She felt guilty being so self-conscious of not only her actions, but those of her friends, somehow feeling like their actions reflected on her. And there was no way she was ashamed of Jou… he just had a habit of creating a mess when he ate.

Thankfully the strange tension that had been present because of Yami was gone, the two seemingly now comfortable. At least Judai seemed fine enough to talk without a filter.

"So the two of you are dating then." Said Judai, pointing at Yugi and Yami, who nodded. "Wow. Strange. Never thought I'd see the day Yami Sennen settled down."

Judai didn't say it as if he was accusing them, just simple stating the facts. He didn't even seem to be aware he had said something rude until he looked up to see Yami's face.

"Oh gosh! I didn't mean it like that." Said Judai, instantly apologetic. "It's just that you had so many bad rumors around you and you don't speak very much so I thought you were stuck up, and you were always with a different girl. It was a constant, like Pegasus's bad taste in suits. Er, don't tell him I said that. He's writes one of my paychecks as well."

Yuugi laughed, smiling again. She had forgotten how talkative Judai was. It was probably how his friendship with Yusei functioned seeing as the man had barely spoken.

"If you're looking for new juicy gossip Judai." Said Yami, pointing to Jou. "Then you can look towards this one over here."

"Eh?" Judai looked at Jou, who had paused in his eating to stare, horrified at Yami.

"Don't you dare Yami." Jou threatened, already seeing where this was headed.

"You know Kaiba right?" said Yami, ignoring Jou.

"Unfortunately."

"And you know how he has never brought anyone to accompany him to any event ever?" said Yami.

"Son of a- if you say one more word." Said Jou, raising a fist, looking as if he might throw his plate at Yami, who didn't say anything else. He didn't have to. Judai had gasped, looking gleefully at Jou.

"Now this is great!" Said Judai, erupting into a peal of giggles. "Yusei, can you imagine Kaiba? On a date?"

"What on earth would possess you to say yes?" Said Yusei seriously, staring at Jou as if he was questioning his sanity. "Everyone knows he's a soulless demon."

"Thank you!" said Jou, raising his hands. "It's not a date. It's to help support Yuugi, but these two have it in their heads that it's something else!"

Yuugi could only smile innocently, Yami's own face erupting into a knowing smirk, his eyes twinkling in mischief. The sight made Yuugi happy. If Yami felt comfortable enough to be playful around these two, then they would probably get along in the future as well.

"Now, we can't tease them too much." Said Yami. "It will make them uncomfortable and then they'll never confess to each other. We all know how shy they both are."

"That does it!" Said Jou, "You'd better hold on to your phone Yami, or else I'm going to take the ladder out of your pool and send Hikari to drown!"

There was a flash of confusion on Yami's face before his eyes widened in fear, mouth opening in shock.

"When did- how did you know about that!?" said Yami, uncharacteristically flustered.

Yuugi on the other hand was lost. Remove a ladder from what?

Jou answered with one word: "Marik."

"Wait a second." Said Judai, eye brightening in understanding. "Are you talking about SIMs?"

"You play the SIMs as well Yami?" said Yuugi, brightening. "I want to see!"

She reached for Yami's phone, which was lying on the table, but he quickly snatched it, holding it away from her, eyes still wide in panic. There was a second pause, where everyone was looking at Yami. Slowly, a large grin crossed Yuugi's face.

"Yaaaaami." She teased, lengthening out his name in a sickening sweet and dangerous voice. "Are you embarrassed about something on there?"

"No." he answered, some of his panic leaving. He pulled a completely straight face, one Yuugi saw through immediately.

"Then you should have no problem showing me." She said.

"It's my business, I don't have to show you anything."

"Since when do you hide things from me?"

"Since forever. I have lots of secrets."

"And do you remember what happened the last time you tried to keep them from me?"

This time the evil smirk on Yami's face was genuine. His eyes flickered to her lips then her collar before returning to her face, eyes darker. A tinge of pink highlighted Yuugi's face, remembering that scene as well; when he had pressed her against the wall and kissed her with such fervent desire.

Thankfully, the intense look was interrupted by Jou who had reached over, snatching Yami's phone from his hand.

"Gotcha!" he called triumphant. "Dang, it's password protected."

Yami leaned back in the chair, satisfied that Jou wouldn't be able to break in, then it faltered when Jou asked. "What's the password Yuugi?"

"58345"

The only thing that stopped Yami from launching himself at Jou was probably the fact that they were in decent society. As it was, he stood up, rounding the table to try and get his phone back without causing too much of a fuss, which wasn't possible with Jou. The result was Yami muttering lots of promises of pain and suffering after this, and Yuugi giggling at the sight. Judai joined her, even Yusei cracking a shadow of a smile at the scene.

"Hand it over." Growled Yami.

"Maybe he has his friends hooked up in the game." Said Judai, eyes sparkling. "Or maybe his own 'family'."

A quick wink in Yuugi's direction made her turn red. Yami turned his head too sharply towards them, trying to regain some composure.

"Y- yeah," said Yami. "I have Jou and Kiaba in a house, and they have five dogs and-"

"Here it is!" said Jou, using his height to stand above Yami as he read the phone stretched over his head. "Awww, look at you Yami, you have little kids everywhere. And guess who the mother is!"

"Three guesses who." Said Yami dryly, finally snatching the phone back from Jou, who was snickering triumphantly behind his hand. Yami sat back down at the table with a plop, sliding his phone back in his pocket.

Yuugi leaned over, still a little pink but grinning at him.

"Yami, can I see our kids?" she said.

"No." he said, not even bothering to deny it.

"But it's not fair!" said Yuugi. "You got to name them to without any input from me."

Yami opened his mouth to answer, but someone behind them interrupted their conversation.

"Did I hear correctly? Yami Sennen has kids?"

Right by the table was a short petite woman, one hand fisted against her hip with an eyebrow cocked in Yami's direction. She wore a light gray pantsuit, a string of pearls decorating her neck. Her makeup was minimal, if there at all, with cinnamon colored hair that had been slick back into a large puffy ponytail which reached down her back.

"I can't believe I'm the last person to learn of this." continued the woman. "Well, it shouldn't come as a surprise. After all, I wasn't told a _single thing_ about the last issue."

Yami just responded by grimacing. Judai on the other hand, waved at her, all smiles.

"Apparently Yami has quite a few kids." Said Judai, smiling at her. "Though they're only virtual children we're afraid."

"That only makes it a little better." She huffed, sliding into the seat by Yusei. She then pulled out a little notebook and pen, frowning at Yusei. "Now that we've cleared that up, can you tell me why of all people, you and Jaden are siting with this man?" She pointed at Yami with a pen, her irritation now evident with her voice.

"That's rude Mana." replied Yusei.

"But it's a good question!" she said, waving her hands in the air. "Even with the mess cleared up, you don't like Yami. You've admitted it before. And it's no wonder. The man is stuck up, proud, and didn't tell us what happened with Kisara when he almost got her killed. His family is ruthless, and yet again, we see that he has some new hussy on his arm."

"This-" said Yami sharply, cutting into Mana's rant. "Is my girlfriend Yuugi, and I would appreciate it if you didn't call her that."

Mana narrowed her eyes.

"Is it another fake one?" she said, mockingly.

"No." said Yami firmly, irritated. "Nor is it something set up by my family."

"Interesting." Said Mana, scribing something down in her notebook.

"Do you have to write things down now?" said Judai, looking exasperated as he muttered into a drink. "I was enjoying myself."

Mana ignored him, pointedly looking at Yami again. "And how long do you think this _girlfriend_ will last this time Yami? Before something happens and you hide her away as well. Or maybe you'll get her pregnant and force her to abort the baby."

Judai let out a groan, covering his face with a hand. Yami didn't answer, just frowning at the obviously irritated girl while Jou just kept eating, watching the scene with interest.

"Mana, stop." Said Yusei.

"No." she said, rounding on the two of them. "I will not stop! It's his fault all of that happened to Kisara, and then he didn't even tell us what happened to her. This whole time I thought she was… and then the two of you are just sitting here so easily, smiling and laughing like it's not a big deal that Kisara almost-!"

"I was the one that actually wanted to sit here." Said Yuugi, cutting into her rant. "I met Judai and Yusei the last time I was here."

Mana turned her eyes on Yuugi, blinking as if she hadn't expected Yuugi to speak up to her.

"Oh, and when did you meet them?" she said. "I've never seen you before."

"When I came with Ryuji last time."

Her eyes widened.

"Yami stole you from Ryuji?" she said.

"What- no!" said Yuugi, shaking her head. "He didn't bring me as a date, but as a friend. I was trying to get in contact with Yami."

"Huh, so you were pursuing Yami." Said Mana, again writing in her notebook.

Jou let out a loud snort, which caused Mana to look over at him. She pointed at him with the end of her pen. "And who is this?"

"Kaiba's date." Said Judai happily.

Mana sputtered while Jou again started to deny the claim with vigor. As they talked back and forth for a second, Yami leaned over to Yuugi.

"Mana is a reporter, in case you haven't guessed." Said Yami, nodding to the girl. "She's also one of Kisara's best friends. Or at least they used to be. She's refused to talk to Kisara for the past month because she's upset Kisara didn't reach out to her sooner."

Yuugi grimaced. That was too bad. She briefly remembered the conversation where Mana had been mentioned. Kisara had been sad that Mana wasn't talking to her. As for being a reporter part, it made sense. Mana was inquisitive, asking Jou all the details about how Kiaba had asked him to the party. The man was spilling everything, unabashedly insulting Kaiba with every other word. Yuugi wondered if he even thought about omitting anything since she was a reporter.

"I'm guessing she still harbors resentment towards you then." Said Yuugi. "So Kisara didn't contact Mana because she might write about it in the paper?" Yuugi had heard about reporters pretending to be friends with people before betraying them to get a good scoop under their belt.

"Never." Said Yami. "Mana is abrasive and upfront, one of the few people that will let you know if she doesn't like you," Yami said it proudly, as if it were something that deserved to be praised. "but she's also loyal. Even after everything, she's never reported something Kisara asked her not to. One of the few reports I know that still has some integrity."

That raised Yuugi's opinion of her astronomically. Yuugi returned her attention to Mana, who was still writing while talking to Jou.

"So you're saying." Said Mana, "That you came because you wanted to support Yuugi, and that Kiaba also invited you here with that purpose."

"Yes, and there's nothing else to it." Said Jou, looking pleased someone was listening to him.

"And you're saying that the Sennen's don't approve of Yuugi."

"If you could keep that between friends, I'd appreciate it." Cut in Yami, snapping Mana's attention back to him. Everyone was listening now, curiously looking at the two of them.

"So you admit to it." Said Mana. "How did this-" she pointed between the two of them. "happen then if your parents didn't introduce you guys?"

"We've been friends since we were seven." Said Yuugi, glancing at Yami. "Best friends really. Then it all changed after Yami confessed."

"Wait, I thought you came to that party to confess to Yami?" Said Judai, looking confused.

"I did." Said Yuugi, scratching the back of her head with a nervous laugh. "Actually it was more of a reply to Yami's confession. I asked him to let me think about it and then after I came to a decision, I couldn't get in contact with him. Then I ran into Marik and the whole thing went to pieces from there."

"This sounds like an interesting story." Said Mana, her eyes now shining in interest.

"You should hear about their first date." drawled Jou with a laugh.

"Mana." Said Yami firmly. "I know what you're going to say, and I don't mind giving you an interview, but please keep certain things out of the papers."

Mana rolled her eyes. "Of course I will." She said. "you owe me this. I still haven't forgiven you with not saying anything about Kisara. Did you not trust I wouldn't write anything?!"

"I don't break promises." Said Yami firmly. "And I had promised not to say anything. You of all people should appreciate that. And you should talk to Kisara, she really misses you."

Mana began to grumble, sticking out her lips in a pout. "Why do you all have to gang up on me?" she said.

"You _are_ the reporter." Said Yusei sarcastically, making Mana punch him in the arm.

"Can I interview you right now?" said Mana, ignoring the irritated look from Yuusei as he rubbed his shoulder.

"In a minute." Said Yami, standing up. "I would actually like to take a breather. Yuugi, would you come dance with me?"

Yuugi felt her stomach drop, looking at his outstretched hand in horror.

"Did Mal tell you nothing?" hissed Yuugi.

Yami replied with a small smile, eyes twinkling. "I promise you, his exaggerations are not enough to deter me. Now, will you dance with me?"

Yuugi hesitated, wondering where this had come from. It had seemed somewhat random for him to ask her to dance out of nowhere. Knowing that Yami was not one to do things without reason, she begrudgingly took his hand.

As they passed Jou, Yami gave him a pointed look, which Jou cocked his head at. Then his eyes widened as if he had realized something.

Yuugi wasn't sure what was going on. Instead, she followed Yami out to the center where couples were dancing, butterflies in her stomach.

* * *

 **Thanks for reviewing! Guest, Unitato722, vcjb242, Justsomeone, Mistoka, RequiemRein, SkyNakama27, Jaylonni Love, ForeverWildfire2.0, CottonCoccon, xSinfulPharaohx, Hiei Dragon Girl, Scarlet Vow, and SheMeHerJay. You guys are the best! Like great friends and bras. Always there to support me through thick and thin.**

 **What would you name Yami and Yuugi's kids? hehe.**

 **Aww, thanks, and you're welcome Unitato722! I honestly am only writing what I like, and I have to write it when inspiration hits or else I get bored. heavy stories like 'the weight of a soul' take longer since they're more plot heavy. And plus, I have so much awesome support, it really makes a huge difference in the frequency of my posts.**

 **vcjb242, How did I think of putting all the characters in the story? Well... honestly there are plenty of other fanfics with all these characters. But as for how I made them fit in here, I would come up with a situation, decide if I needed/wanted someone from the source world and pull them from there. Pretty simple really. Yuugi needed friends at the parties, so it made sense to pull Yusei and Judai from their respective series.**

 **SkyNakama27, are Judai and Yusei going to appear more? Honestly, we're nearing the end of the fic, so yeah, but it's not a lot more.**


	84. Chapter 84

Chapter 84

Yuugi and Yami reached the outskirts of the dance floor, Yami turning to pull her into position. He took her right hand in his own, placing the other on her lower back. She put a hand on his shoulder, swallowing hard.

"I apologize in advance for your sore feet." Said Yuugi.

"And I accept your apology in advance." Said Yami, starting to lead her. It was a box step, no extra embellishes thrown into it. Simple, just the way Yuugi needed it to be. It didn't stop her from counting under her breath for the first minute, her eyes fixed on her own feet. She was determined to not mess up.

"You know." Said Yami's voice after a while. "I would like to see your face instead of the top of your head."

Yuugi glanced up, then immediately issued a curse as she stepped on Yami's toe.

"Sorry." She muttered, noticing that Yami had even taken a second to recover.

"It's fine." Said Yami, one of his eyes still twitching. "Good thing those heels are low."

"Yeah."

Yuugi finally looked up, doing her best to let Yami lead. Slowly, they got into a rhythm, following the soft waltz of the strings. Other couples brushed past, Yuugi ignorant of their comments or looks in her direction. She even managed to start enjoying herself.

Now that she wasn't concentrating on her feet, Yami was the one that took up most of her view. The arm around her was comforting, supportive, guiding her through the steps. She secretly wanted him to pull her even closer, shorten the distance between them. His deep red eyes were on her, wearing that special look of adoration she had become addicted to. She could almost count the individual eyelashes on his sharp eyes as they locked with her own.

Then she suddenly found herself embarrassed being this close. Aaad there went her cheeks. They were hot again.

"S-so what were you signaling to Jou?" said Yuugi, desperate to change the direction of her mind. "It looked like he had realized something when we left."

"Just helping him remember to be conscious of what he says." Said Yami smoothly, not breaking eye contact. "Since Mana came over, other reporters will start hovering. They watch out and try to steal stories from their competition. Mana is a good one, so we were noticed almost immediately after she started talking to us. Jou needed to start censoring his information."

"Like with the family not approving of me." Said Yuugi, catching on. "Do you think that will get out?"

"Eventually." Said Yami, "But hopefully we can delay that for as long as possible. Those guys at the table won't say anything. They like you, so they won't betray you."

"Man Yami, you made it sound like all rich people were horrible." Said Yuugi. "And now you say they like me. Me! A completely normal person who was thrown into this world. That doesn't add up to what you've said before."

Yami paused, glancing away and looking at the people around them for a minute.

"I'll admit, for a long time I thought they were all shallow." Said Yami. "I went from one extreme to the next, too proud to see my mistake. I still don't trust anyone very easily…"

"But you trust Mana, Yusei and Judai?" Said Yuugi.

"I know them well enough from common friends and their reputation." Said Yami, his eyes returning to her. "I would never have bothered talking to them had you not pulled me over. It's you I trust, not them. I can tell you like and trust them, so I know I can do the same."

"That's a lot of faith you have in me." Said Yuugi, surprised. "What if we're betrayed and one of them spouts everything?"

"Then we'll figure it out." Said Yami with a shrug.

"Even if they tell the press about your SIMs?"

Yami groaned, shaking his head in mortification. "Can you just pretend that never happened?"

"Never!" said Yuugi with a grin.

Yami looked back at her, a twinkle of something in his eyes. He opened his mouth to say something, then thought better of it.

"What?" said Yuugi.

"Nothing."

"Don't you 'nothing' me." Said Yuugi playfully. "You were going to say something."

"I was going to ask if want me to spin you."

"On second thought, you weren't going to say anything at all."

Yami let out a chuckle, his low laugh making Yuugi smile. Gosh, she loved hearing him laugh. Even as she stepped on his toe again. Woops.

"There's something else." Said Yami, who was favoring his right foot at this point. "The main reason I pulled you from the table."

"What is it?"

"Someone… was approaching it, and I wanted to prepare you for the confrontation."

The song came to an end at that moment, everyone in the room coming to a halt. The couples clapped lightly for the performers, beginning to lead their partners off the dance floor or preparing for another dance. Yuugi was glad when Yami offered his hand to lead her away. He took his time, slowly making their way to the table.

"Who is it?" said Yuugi, curious as to who had come to talk to him.

"The bane of my existence." Said Yami, his voice dropping in irritation. "And oh look, she hasn't moved. Wonderful."

Standing near the table was a tall, dolled up women with two black buns on either side of her head.

"Finally you are about to meet the infamous Vivian Wong."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **And thank you for your reviews!whitlaw123, Sapphire, , Hiei Dragon Girl, Walt-Disney and Anime, SkyNakama27, Jaylonni Love, Mistoka, Deji princess, ForeverWildfire2.0, Renmow, Justsomeone, and xSinfulPharaohx.**

 **Lol, Renmow gets 1st place for naming the kids, because I sat and laughed for a good minute. What the hec!K lol.**

 **See yah!**


	85. Chapter 85

Chapter 85

Vivian Wong, who just from stories had gone down in infamy in Yuugi's personal book. Finally, she was able to put a face to the legend. And what a face it was, poised and perfect and fake. Much like those cakes you bought from the store that looked and tasted like sugar coated in plastic.

Her lips were pouting, eyes darting around, hand lazily resting near her collar, as if she were posing for a photo shoot. Her yellow Chinese style had a long slit that revealed almost all of her milky thigh. Large brown eyes blinked under layers of thick mascara, and Yuugi could tell she was pretending that she was _not_ waiting around for Yami to get off the dance floor. Instead putting on an air of unconsciously posing while her mind drifted.

Yuugi didn't like her.

The intensity of these feelings surprised her. It had been a _very_ long time since Yuugi had instantly disliked someone this much. This was going to be fun…

As they approached the table where Jou sat, now alone save Mana, Vivian finally 'noticed' them. Her face split into a wide smile and she glided over to them.

Yami stepped subtly in front of Yuugi, the motion probably unconscious as Vivian finally reached speaking distance.

"Yami! There you are." She said, her voice high and nasally. "I'm been looking everywhere for you silly. Where have you been?"

Yuugi even disliked her voice, especially the way it seemed to caress Yami's name. It made her twitch. Evidently Yami felt the same. He had a forcibly patient look on his face. The same one he had worn when talking to his mother.

"Enjoying the evening with my _friends_." Said Yami, emphasizing the last word.

Vivian wasn't deterred. Arms shot forward and wrapped around Yami's arms before Yuugi could blink.

"Perfect, and now you have plenty of time to spend with me." She said, that smile still on her face. Irritation rose immediately in Yuugi's chest. Her eyes were zeroed in on those long nails circling around _her_ boyfriend's arm.

They weren't there long.

Yami pushed her away. Literally, pried her fingers off his arms and growled. "Stop touching me."

Vivian withdrew, now giving a sickening giggle. "Aww, you're always so shy. It's cute." Then she clapped her hands together. "How about we dance? Then you'll have an excuse to touch me without feeling self-conscious about it."

"No." said Yami firmly. "I will only be dancing with one person tonight, and it is not you."

"Oh?" he eyes widened, then she finally looked at Yuugi, the person she had been blatantly ignoring.

"Oh dear, it looks like your parents set you up on another one." She said, looking sad. "I'm sorry little lady, but Yami isn't interested in you. He's only escorting you to appease his parents."

Yuugi blinked at her, surprised. While she knew that this wasn't true, she knew it had been in all of Yami's past dates. She wondered if Vivian had said similar things as well. It probably had caused all sort of unnecessary problems.

"Not tonight." Said Yami, again steeping a little forward. "I brought Yuugi here. As my _girlfriend._ "

"Oh." Said Vivian, smacking her head as if she had just remembered something. "Of course! Just like with that slut. You're trying to cover up our relationship. So smart Yami, except I don't mind everyone knowing about us. We are perfect together, everyone will understand."

"How many times do I have to go over this." said Yami, exasperated. "We are not dating Vivian. Your behavior is obnoxious."

A flicker of annoyance flashed in Vivian's eyes. Her eyes trailed to Yuugi, her lips sticking out in a pout.

"Now that's a little harsh." She said. "I'm only speaking the truth. We are meant for each other."

There was a loud guffaw behind them, and Yuugi realized Jou had come over to join the conversation. He had a cupcake in one hand, and a drink in another.

"You weren't kidding when you said they were crazy." Said Jou, looking Vivian up and down. "Didn't you hear him girlie? He has a girlfriend. Scram."

"Oh my." Said Vivian, backing away from Jou slightly, her lips curled in disgust. "Who are you? Your manners are atrocious."

"Look who's talkin'." Drawled Jou, purposefully whipping his mouth on a sleeve, drawing out the motion to emphasize the pieces of cake smearing his suit.

"Yami, who let such uncouth people in here?" she said, snarling at Jou.

This was it. Nobody talked to Yuugi's friends like that.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't speak to my friends like that." Said Yuugi, glaring at Vivian.

Vivian's brows drew together, sadness on her face.

"Oh dear." She said. "This is your friend?" as if it were a horrible tragedy. "You poor thing, knowing such uncivilized people. You're bound to be the same as them. What a terrible fate."

Again, the woman's claws came out and gripped Yami's upper arm even as he tried to shake her off.

"Yami, this time it's just too much." She said. "Spare yourself the shame and reveal whatever scheme you have. I will understand I promise."

That was it. Yuugi was done. Righteous fury was blazing inside of her. She swatted Vivian's hands away as she planted herself fully in front of her boyfriend, arms crossed and feet shoulder width apart.

"Keep your nails off of my boyfriend." Snarled Yuugi. "And apologize to my friend."

If she had been able to see Yami, she would have seen the look of complete surprise highlighted with smugness on his face. She did see the supportive nod from Jou.

Vivian shook her hands, as if Yuugi had managed to hurt her. She cradled them in towards herself, eyes blinking up sorrowfully at them.

"It hurts!" She said, voice a little too loudly. "Ouch. How violent. Why did you hit me?"

Yuugi's face drained of color as she realized there were a few people nearby, watching the obvious confrontation with skeptical interest. Yuugi suddenly felt the eyes on her.

"Oh please." Said Jou, his loud accented voice easily drowning Vivian's cries. "A broken nail can't hurt that badly."

"Maybe you should go get it checked out." Said Yami, placing a hand on Yuugi's shoulder. "If it hurts so much. Leave the party and go somewhere else. Far away."

Vivian gave a loud sniff, wiping tears from her eyes. "I can't believe you would stand behind her when she hurt me." Said Vivian. "I'm really hurt Yami. Why do you have to be so mean?"

Yuugi would normally have felt sorry for the girl, except it was such an obvious act that Yuugi wanted to roll her eyes. Rebecca was a _much_ better actress than Vivian. This just made her sick. Unfortunately, based on the looks on the people around them, they believed Vivian's act.

Before any of them could say anything else to remedy to impression, Vivian had spun around and took off in the crowd.

Yuugi stared, not sure what just happened. It had all occurred so fast, the meeting, the confrontation, and the eventual end that she was having problems reining in her senses. For now, she just settled on surprise that someone could be so delusional.

"Well..." said Yami behind her. "First impressions, what do you think?"

Yuugi looked back at him, mouth open in disbelief.

"Completely bat ship crazy!" she cried.

"Amen to that." Said Jou, rising a drink to Yuugi.

"Can I quote you on that?" said another female voice. Mana had appeared from nowhere, a pen out while scribbling in her notebook. She then adjusted her glasses, squinting at what she wrote. "Yuugi Mutou meets Yami's infamous stalker. Her exact impression of the woman: 'Bat ship crazy.'"

The laugh burst out of Yuugi at the hilarity of Mana. At the whole thing really. Her emotions were still charged from the confrontation, fueling further her laughter. It infected Yami, his own deep laugh joining as Jou hollered along with them. Even Mana couldn't suppress her own giggles.

The sight of all four of them practically crying from laughter was drawing some looks, but Yuugi found she didn't care. All the tension she'd bottle up was dissolving, the knots in her shoulders smoothing out. Gosh it felt so good to stop caring about appearances for a moment and just laugh!

"Yes, please quote me on that." Said Yuugi when she could finally breathe, her chest still heaving.

"I'll also say that you viciously attacked her." Said Mana, nodding as she wrote. "With a fist, maybe drew blood. She had to be rushed to the hospital while she moaned about her broken toenail."

Yuugi giggled again, shaking her head.

"Don't forget the part where I smeared a cupcake on her dress." Said Jou, holding up his half eaten piece. "Waste of a good dessert if you ask me."

"Wow, I hate that witch." Said Mana, shaking her head. "What I'd give to sock her in the face…"

Yuugi just smiled again, turning her attention to Yami. The mirth was still in his eyes, but she noticed that they were also wary. He was more focused on the people around them then on Mana.

Yuugi took his hand, tugging at it gently to get his attention.

"We made quite the scene didn't we?" she said, an apology in her voice.

"There always is with Vivian." Said Yami, immediately soothing her. "Trust me, this was mild."

"So your mother won't hear about how I brutally attacked Vivian in a jealous rage?" said Yuugi.

"No, she probably will." Said Yami with a shrug. "But my mother's not stupid enough to believe her, and almost everyone else knows her fits at this point. I wouldn't worry too much about that part of it."

He knew her so well. He had immediately figured out her worries and soothed them. She smiled happily, renewed by the confrontation. Now that was something she would not have expected from an exchange with the infamous Vivian.

"I'm assuming you're both done dancing now." Said Mana, addressing the couple. "Can I have my interview now?"

"Sure." Said Yami, nodding to their empty seating. "As long as you're okay with it." He added to Yuugi.

"Of course." Said Yuugi, smiling. She should feel anxious about having an interview, but it was nowhere to be seen. She already felt comfortable with Mana and knew they were in safe hands.

* * *

 **Thank you for your reviews my friends! whitlaw123, Unitato722, vcjb242, Guest 1 and 2, Scarlet Vow Hiei Dragon Girl, ForeverWildfire2.0, and Mistoka! You guys are lovelyful!  
**

 **Humm, is that the last we've seen of Vivian? ;)**

 **vcjb242: Do I know how to dance? Yup sir/mam/you/individual. I know swing (Like, getting thrown around swing. So much fun!), salsa, ballet, tap, modern, jazz, ballroom, two step, some tango and Just Dance. Once I learned the dances they did in the Pride and Prejudice movie. That was one of the best dates ever! Ahem… back to the task at hand.**

 **Everyone go to sleep. I command it.**


	86. Chapter 86

Chapter 86

Yuugi, Mana, and Yami all made their way back to the table. Jou give Yuugi a quick _'good luck'_ before wondering off to do his own thing. Yuugi sat next to Yami, Mana only a chair away from them as she pulled out her phone.

"Mind if I record this?" she said. "Just in case I don't understand my scribbles later."

"Not at all." Said Yuugi, now a little nervous. The whole thing seemed pretty informal until Mana had taken that out. Now it hit Yuugi that this was technically her first interview.

Mana hit a button on her phone, a red 'recording' icon flashing.

"So let's get the general details out of the way." said Mana. "When did the two of you start dating?"

"Probably around two months ago." Said Yuugi, looking to Yami for confirmation. He nodded in reply. She honestly couldn't remember the date. Didn't people make big deals about _'one month anniversaries'_ and such when it came to dating? Not her.

"Now, you asked Yuugi out first, correct?" said Mana

"I did." Said Yami.

"To which you said you'd think about it." Said Mana, now addressing Yuugi.

"Actually, I rejected him the first time." Said Yuugi, grimacing as she thought about it. "It wasn't until a few days after that I asked Yami if I could think about it and give him my reply later."

"What made you change your mind?"

"Well…" Yuugi thought hard, trying to figure out what exactly had been going through her head. A lot of confusion, loneliness and ice cream that was for sure. "when Yami confessed, I was too shocked to give him a well thought out answer. We had been friends forever, and I still was… _am_ adjusting to emerging. The thought of dating him had never once entered my head until he confessed. But after I thought about it for a while, I realized that Yami was someone important to me. I didn't know the extent of that importance, so I asked if would wait until I figured it out."

Mana tilted her head at Yuugi, frowning.

"You mentioned emerging." Said Mana. "When did you emerge?"

"Three months ago."

"Three?"

Mana looked at Yuugi as if seeing her for the first time. "You only emerged three months ago? So late in your life? Wow, that's one way to majorly screw everything over. Emerging in general sucks balls but if you're unlucky enough to do it in your teens, most people have major issues adjusting."

Yuugi gave a nervous laugh, not sure how to respond. Especially since it was true in a way. Everything had gone to pot for a while because of it.

"Yami, you waited to ask Yuugi to be your girlfriend after she emerged." Said Mana, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she now turned to Yami. "Did you get a crush on her after she became female?"

"Not exactly." Said Yami. "I'd had feelings for Yuugi even before she emerged, but had been too scared of damaging our friendship to say anything. As she said, we've been best friends since we were kids. After she emerged, I realized that things could change in an instant, and decided it was time to do something. I didn't want to lose my chance just because I was too chicken to say anything."

Yuugi quietly took his hand under the table, unable to resist flashing a grin in his direction, one he subtly returned. She was surprised by how honest he was being with Mana. They hadn't gotten to the questions they didn't want the general public to know, but it was still personal information they were offing up for readers to know.

Mana had obviously seen their exchange and rolled her eyes. "Please don't be that sickening couple I have to interview." She said. "If you two start making out, I will jab this pen in your esophagus."

Yami nervously reached up to rub his throat.

From there, the interview continued smoothly, asking little questions about their relationship and such. Every now and then Yami would choose not to answer or only give few details about certain things. Such as how the parents had responded to Yuugi.

"They were surprised when they found out." Said Yami smoothly, "I hadn't told them we were dating, but I'm hopeful they can like her as much as I do once they get to know her better."

Yuugi's smile twitched. Technically nothing Yami had said was a lie, but it defiantly painted a different picture then the true situation. It would take a miracle for his parents to like her.

"Just another diplomatic way of saying they don't approve." Said Mana, shaking her head. "I gotcha. Unless the Sennen's tell me otherwise, that's what we'll roll with for now. I have just a few more questions. This is what people will be most interested in. You've heard about the drama with Yami's previous girlfriend?"

"I have." Said Yuugi.

"What do you think about it?" said Mana. "Do you have any hesitations because of it?"

"Kisara." Said Yami.

Mana gave him a strange look. "Yes, I know it was Kisara, I was asking Yuugi if-"

"No." said Yami, nodding over Mana's head. "It's Kisara. She's here."

Mana's head whipped around. Sure enough, near the side of the end of the room, Yuugi could just make out the woman talking with a group. There were too many people between to get a good look, but there was no mistaking that brilliant white hair.

Mana's lips drew into a tight line. She turned back to Yami and Yuugi, pressing the record button on her phone to turn it off.

"Do you mind if we finish this later?" she said, already standing. "I need to go take care of something."

Without waiting for an answer, she marched off towards Kisara, weaving through the people.

"She didn't look too happy." Said Yuugi, talking about Mana.

"No, she didn't."

Yuugi on the other hand, was excited to see Kisara. She hadn't realized that the woman would be coming to the party.

"Let's go say hi." Said Yuugi, jumping up and grabbing Yami's hand. Together they walked through the crowd of people, nodding in passing to a few of them. Most were friendly, though a few comments about their relationship did follow them.

Yuugi ignored them, too happy to see Kisara here to care too much. As they got closer, they saw her with a group of people. Yuugi recognized Yusei and Jadai, but the others she didn't recognize. Kiseki was currently being held by Judai, but everything else was dull compared to Kisara.

Yuugi stopped short, staring at her. Truly this woman was descended from the heavens. Her halter top dress was a light blue, practically shining in the light. It complemented her milky white skin, the skirts layered and heavy, giving her the image of a goddess. A glittering pin swept her hair from her eyes, leaving the rest of it to flutter behind her.

For a moment, Kisara's attention was elsewhere, a frown marring her beautiful features before she glanced over, noticing Yuugi and Yami. Her face broke into a smile.

"Yuugi, Yami." She said, sweeping past her friends and closing the distance. She swept Yuugi into a hug, in which Yuugi was blushing furiously. Her hug to Yami was shorter, but not less enthusiastic.

"This is a pleasant surprise." Said Yami, who had probably noticed that Yuugi was still recovering from Kisara. "I didn't expect you to be here."

"Which is why me and Ryuji decided not to tell you." She said. "We wanted you to be surprised, though we ended up being a little late."

"B-but why are you here?" said Yuugi, sputtering at her. As happy as she was to see her, she was also reminded that coming to things like this had been a contributing factor to Kisara's bad self-esteem. Yuugi was instantly worried for her. And where had Mana gone?

"I came because of you." Said Kisara, her smile softening. "I wanted to show my support in some way, and this seemed the best option."

"B-but you've already been helping me." Said Yuugi, shocked. "With all the lessons and everything. I don't understand."

"You helped me gain the confidence to be here." Said Kisara. "Honestly, it's somewhat selfish of me, but I thought to myself, _'if Yuugi can do it, then so can I.'_ I wanted to try and change, both for your sake, and for mine. I hope you don't mind."

"Mind?" said Yuugi, "I'm ecstatic! This is amazing Kisara. If anyone dares say crap to you I'll deck them in the face."

There was sure to be all sorts of gossip flying around because of this, but hopefully not enough to cause too much trouble. Yuugi doubted she would hit someone, but if the situation called for it, she wasn't opposed to defending Kisara thought any means necessary.

Kisara laughed, giving Yuugi's hands a squeeze.

"Here, let me introduce you to my friends." She said, nodding to the people around her. It was only then that Yuugi focused on her surroundings. Judai was talking with Yusei a little distance away, smiling and laughing at something she couldn't hear as they played with Kiseki. There were four other people she didn't recognize and they were all shooting glances her, a mixture of surprise, confusion and distrust on their faces.

 _No, it's Yami they're looking at._ she realized. The confusion was mostly directed at her, but the outright hostile looks were defiantly being sent in Yami's direction. Only one person appeared to be friendly towards Yami, a girl with long blonde hair. This was the first person Kisara introduced Yuugi to

"This is Asuka." Said Kisara.

"Nice to meet you." Said Yuugi with a smile and a bow. The girl turned both gestures.

"Then this is Crow." Said Kisara. A man with orange spiky hair gave Yuugi a two fingered salute. "Aki." A girl with magenta hair and large round eyes gave a nod. "And finally Jun."

The last guy was a surly looking person with dark hair and bags under his eyes. He was glaring the hardest at Yami, and didn't even acknowledge Yuugi.

Before Yuugi could open her mouth to say anything, the last boy turned on his heel and began walking off.

"Jun." said Asuka in exasperation, but he didn't listen to her. Instead he kept storming off… only to be stopped short by Judai who grabbed him by the hair.

"Ouch! What the hell." Said Jun, smacking Judai's hand away.

"You're being rude." Said Judai, nodding towards Yuugi. "Go talk to them."

"To hell I will." Said Jun, snarling at Judai. "I have no business with anything related to Sennen. Those two can burn in hell for all I care."

That comment caused everyone to instantly erupt into conversation, the voices mixing as they argued.

"Stop being such a dick and at least talk to her."

"He saved Kisara's life. How can you say such things about him?"

"It was his fault in the first place."

"I'm surprised to hear you say that Yusei, I thought you couldn't stand the guy."

"She's just another chick he's trying to use to gain better connections."

"You're too trusting Kisara."

"Just chill, gosh you're so hormonal."

Yuugi couldn't follow the conversations, the group now a whirlwind of emotions. It was obvious everyone was close, and it was also obvious that they all cared about Kisara. Only Asuka appeared to be defending Yami and Yuugi, while the others were trading off insulting practically everyone, including those in the group.

Slowly, a smile crept along Yuugi's face. Yup, she decided she liked them.

"Why are you smiling?" said Yami, looking at her with concern.

"Doesn't it remind you of our group of friends?" said Yuugi, nodding to them. "All sorts of dynamics, idiots and friends alike, obviously caring for each other."

"I'm curious who you're classifying as an idiot in our group."

Yuugi gave a coy smile, winking at Yami.

Then she walked straight into chaos.

She had to lightly push through, excusing herself and smiling at the people she passed who gave her strange looks. She stopped right in front of Jun, the man in the middle of arguing with Judai. Since she wasn't much smaller than Judai, she easily blocked the conversation, causing the man to turn his glare onto her. In fact, everyone seemed to be looking at her. Her heart was strengthened though. These were Kisara's friends. If Yuugi didn't try, then she could never look back on this moment with pride.

"You're really hot headed, did you know that?" said Yuugi with a bright smile.

She heard someone snort beside her, but didn't turn to see who.

Jun narrowed his eyes at her, snarling. "And you're just a bitch, did you know that?"

"Unfortunately." Said Yuugi with a tired sigh. "Being a girl sucks on some days, but you get used to it after a while. By the way, have you met my boyfriend Yami?"

"Piss off."

"I guess that's a yes."

"Jun..." said Kisara, looking desperate. Yuugi met her eye, giving a small shake of her head.

"Look girl." Said Jun. "I couldn't care less who you are. I don't care who your family is or wherever the hell you came from, but as long as you are associated with Sennen-" he spat on the ground.

"Gosh, you really love Kisara don't you?" said Yuugi.

The reaction was instantaneous. Jun's face turned pink as he began snarling again. "That's not the- are you looking for a fight!"

"And if I am?" said Yuugi, tilting her head, her smile dampening a bit. "I promised Kisara I'd punch anyone that was giving her trouble, and right now you're the one that's upsetting her the most."

Jun stalled, looking back at Kisara, who was hovering close by, distress obvious in her eyes. Then he looked at Yami - whose expression Yuugi couldn't see – before returning his sneer at her.

"If you do anything to hurt her." He said, practically hissing at her. "You and your boyfriend do _anything_ …"

He trailed off, his threat clear as day. She could picture knives being brandished at her. Had she not been friends with Bakura for years, she would have been wetting herself.

"Agreed." Said Yuugi, nodding her head. "Just realize the same applies to you."

Their standoff lasted for another few seconds, the tension thick in the air. Yuugi didn't look away, not glaring, but not backing down from the murderous look in Jun's face.

Then Jun put his hand forward.

Yuugi shook it, her smile widening.

"Do mine eyes deceive me?" said Crow, snapping Yuugi and Jun out of their staring contest. He waved his arms in an exaggerated motion, a smile creeping along his face despite his attempt to be serious. "Jun actually didn't do something stupid? It must be a miracle?"

"Shut up!" said Jun, the pink still in his face.

Yuugi gave a laugh, as did several of the others, who were now throwing insults at Jun. She nearly fell as Judai hugged her from behind.

"You got Jun to shut up! I'm liking you more and more Yuugi." Said Judai happily

"Can't- breathe…"

She was saved by Yami, who came and swiftly removed her from Judai's clutches, encircling his own arms around Yuugi. He was somehow glaring simultaneously at both Judai and Jun, who he seemed to be in the middle of arguing with.

"-doesn't make us friends."

"If I ever see you threaten my girlfriend again."

Yuugi gave a grimace, patting one of the arms that was around her shoulders protectively, trying to sooth his temper. The whole group was talking again, but the chaos from before gone. It was light hearted, happier, and didn't have an aura of anger hanging around their heads. The looks towards Yami still were cautious, but they weren't out right hostile anymore.

Kisara was beside Yuugi, now holding her son as she stared at the two of them. Yuugi was still in a strange protective head lock, her back against Yami's chest as she turned her head to address Kisara.

"You have some nice friends." Said Yuugi. "They obviously care for you very much."

Kisara nodded, her eyes misty as she hugged her son to her, a relieved and thankful smile spreading across her face.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading!**

 **And thank you my friends for your reviews! Werezoroark, vcjb242, Mistoka, whitlaw123, SkyNakama27, Kyo lover with little sanity, (ROFL, your name!), RenMow11, ForeverWildfire2.0, Jaylonni Love,** **Mandyrobin, Scarlet Vow, and Hiei Dragon Girl! (sorry if I missed thanking you. FF is doing that dumb thing where reviews aren't showing and now I have to dig through my emails to find them. Ugh)**

 **vcjb242, have I ever been to a high society party? I don't think so... nope. I think the closest think I've gotten to is the cheesecake factory.**

 **RenMow11, ROFL! oh gosh, that has to be the best poem ever!**

 **Back to business! Too many people at parties, but they are so much fun!**


	87. Chapter 87

Chapter 87

"So you're honest to goodness dating." Aki was saying as she glanced between Yuugi and Yami. "You're not lying again are you?"

"I've already told you, it's not fake." Said Yami, for probably the fifteenth time. "Why can't you just believe me?"

"Can you blame me for doubting you? Neither you or Kisara told us you two were only faking it until all the smoke had blown over. I always suspected there was something strange but I could never put a finger on it."

Yuugi and Yami had been talking to Kisara's friends for the last five minutes. Yuugi was slowly making her way through the other four people, getting to know them. At the moment, Yami was by her side, talking to the busty maroon haired woman, Aki. She had an intimidating aura, sharp, and poised, but Yami talked to her as if they had been good friends at some point.

Almost everyone had been friends with him actually. Only Jun appeared to have never liked Yami, but after Kisra got pregnant and went missing, they had all assumed it had been his fault and shunned him. Yami had probably allowed it though some self-sacrificing belief that he deserved their ire.

Idiot.

"Well I certainly hope it's not fake." Said Yuugi, giving Yami a light nudge. "If it is, you might find Yami in the obituaries tomorrow."

"I have a question though." Said Asuka, coming into their conversation. "Do you live here in Domino? I've never heard of you before."

It was such a strange question. There were over a hundred million people living in Japan. Why was everyone surprised that they didn't know who Yuugi was? Yet it was a question she had been asked often tonight. The elite must be more of a closed group then she realized.

"I do." Said Yuugi. "But you would never see me at one of these things. My family is a normal middle class family."

"Really?" said Asuka. She looked like she didn't know how to react to the revelation. "Huh. Now that's a new twist on the situation."

"What about all of you?" said Yuugi. "How did you all meet and become friends?"

That was how Yuugi managed to divert the conversation away from her and to the others in the group. Soon, they reminiscing about old times, when they first met and stupid things that they did as kids. It seemed that a lot of it involved Crow pulling a prank in which Jun would be blamed and get in trouble for.

They were such a nice open group of people. So different from the pompous self-important characters she had already met tonight. It solidified her opinion that there were both kind and conceited people in every situation and social class. You just had to be willing to find them.

"I'll be back." Said Yuugi to Yami. "Bathroom."

After drinking her way through almost entire punch bowl at the beginning of the party, her bladder was finally catching up. Yami acknowledged her, going back to his conversation with Yusei. It felt good to see him reconnecting to his old friends.

She hurried out of the party room, going into the hall. She was directed to the bathroom by the other workers, where she did her business.

Yuugi was walking back down an empty hall when something flashed in front of her. She saw a streak of black before something grabbed on her shoulder, shoving her against the wall. She almost fell, only kept up by a hand pressing hard against her shoulder.

"I want you to stay away from Yami." A female voice dripping in venom hissed at her.

Yuugi's eyes widened. It was Vivian. The woman's face was so thoroughly contorted in rage that Yuugi only recognized her by the dress and hair. The hand on Yuugi's shoulder was a vice grip, fingernails digging into her skin.

"Get off me." Said Yuugi, shaking off her shock, but Vivian's grip strengthened, not allowing Yuugi to move.

"You will get only one very clear warning from me." Said Vivian. Her face came closer as she towered over Yuugi, her form intimidating. "A brat like you would be easy for me to crush. It would hardly take a thought, like a people in my shoe. Annoying, but not a real hindrance."

"Let me go." Said Yuugi again, slightly panicked. She'd had too many experiences with bullying to know where this could go. Even if Vivian was a skinny girl, Yuugi was puny compared to her. If she could slip out of Vivian's grip, she was confident she could run fast enough to get help. Or maybe she should just scream and-

"You don't believe me." Said Vivian, her other hand grabbed Yuugi's chin, yanking it to look into Vivian's painted face. "Too bad for you. I was hoping to save Yami from the disgrace of being associated with you."

"The disgraceful one is you." Said Yuugi, glaring. "Yami doesn't like you. He will never like you."

The fingers on Yuugi's chin gripped harder, pinching the skin on her cheeks. Vivian's nostrils flared in anger.

"Disgusting." She growled. "The whole lot of you. Associating with such scum. Tell me, do you feel better talking with the slut and her bastard son? Do you feel better about yourself because you think you're at least not as bad as her? You're not a good person Yuugi, and you won't bring Yami any happiness."

 _This woman is completely delusional._ Yuugi thought. That could be the only answer as to why Vivian was acting this way. There was something very wrong in this woman's head. No one was this deranged without something being wrong.

Vivian mistook Yuugi silence, thinking she had struck a blow. Her lips twisted into a vile smirk.

"Stay away from Yami." She repeated. "Or I will make you regret it. I promise you that."

Vivian shoved Yuugi's face, and this time Yuugi did fall. By the time Yuugi was back up again, Vivian had whipped around the other corner and out of sight.

 _Did that just happen?_ Thought Yuugi, slightly dazed by how quickly that had happened. She'd better stay with someone at all times in the future. Yuugi quickly returned to the bathroom to make sure her appearance was fine.

Yuugi breathed in a hiss. There was a nail mark on her face where Vivian's claws had scratched her. Good thing Yuugi had her makeup kit and a brush for the strands of hair sticking out. As she did her best to cover up the mess, she thought on Vivian's threat.

The more Yuugi thought about it, the more she scowled. She knew bullies, and she knew the difference between the ones that made empty threats and the ones that followed through. Yuugi's instincts told her that Vivian belonged in the latter category.

Her heart sake. Vivian was going to make a mess, some way or another. The only question was if it would mess up Yuugi's changes of being approved by Izumi.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **So many lovely people. so many. Thanks for your reviews! Guest, whitlaw123, Money100, vcjb242, Mistoka, ForeverWildfire2.0, GUest 2, Hiei Dragon Girl, Unitato722, Justsomeone, RenMow11, and SkyNakama27.**

 **nope, Jun is not Atlas. RenMow11, I have not. It's a fun story, but I honestly don't think it's good enough to be published. Though I'm super flattered that you asked! I feel like this story is more of a tv drama than anything else. Lol.  
**

 **-KING OF DOORS!**


	88. Chapter 88

Chapter 88

Yuugi had been in the bathroom for three minutes when someone else came in. It was Kisara with Kiseki.

"Are you doing alright?" said Kisara. "You've been in here for a while."

"I'm fine." Said Yuugi, looking back at herself in the mirror. She'd done a pretty decent job. The mark was only visible if you looked for it, and it was bound to fade more with time.

Kisara took Kiseki to the changing table, setting her dipper bag on the side to change him.

"Yami was a little worried so I came to check on you." Kisara was saying as she took care of Kiseki.

"He's a natural helicopter parent." Said Yuugi, a warm feeling growing in her chest. Yami always worried, but this time he had been right to do so. She already felt better, comforted from just the thought that her boyfriend was watching out for her.

She rested her hands on either side of the sink, bowing her head as she pulled herself together.

"Are you glad you came?" said Yuugi, trying to distract herself.

"I am." Said Kisara happily, almost finished with Kiseki. "I should have come much earlier. I was too scared that everyone would hate me… It's been a good night."

Yuugi eyed her as Kisara plopped Kiseki on the floor, the little munchkin running up to Yuugi and tackling her legs. Yuugi pulled Kiseki into her arms and giving him huge bear hug.

"Are you sure you're alright?" said Kisara, looking concerned.

"I'll be fine." Said Yuugi with a shrug, holding Kiseki on her hip. "It's been a long night. I'm ready for it to be over honestly."

"There's only an hour left of the party." Said Kisara. "Or at least until the adults start drinking with more enthusiasm. Most send their kids home at that point."

"I'm totally a kid, send me home." Said Yugi, raising her hand.

Kisara giggled.

They left the bathroom, walking back towards the party. As they passed one of the adjoining foyers, they saw Mana siting in one of the expensive couches, head down as she looked at her phone. Strangely enough, she didn't seem to be texting, just staring at it.

Kisara paused.

"Yuugi, do you mind if I go talk to her?" said Kisara, biting her lip. "You can go back in, I'm not sure how long this will take.

"Go, I'll take care of Kiseki for you." Said Yuugi with an encouraging nod.

"Thanks."

Kisara left, approaching Mana cautiously, as if she were a feral animal that might jump at any second.

Yuugi walked back to the party, hoping that everything would go well. She didn't know Mana very well, but she seemed like a nice enough person. A little head strong, sure, but still nice. She had joked with Yuug about Vivian after their confrontation so she was sympathetic towards Yuugi's situation. But there still was some tension between Mana and Kisara. Which was understandable, but it was also time to let those feelings go. Everyone else was on the road to heal from the event, she should do so as well. For her own sake.

Kiseki started squirming in Yuugi's grip.

"Alright little monkey, you can walk." Said Yuugi, rolling her eyes. She set Kiseki down, the boy immediately tearing down the hall.

Then promptly ran into someone else.

"Oh gosh, sorry about that." Said Yuugi, grabbing Kiseki and holding him against his will.

The man Kiseki had run into was giving Yuugi a strange look. He was young, very tall and broad shouldered with some of the biggest blonde sideburns she had ever seen.

"Who are you?" said the man.

"My name is Yuugi Muto." Said Yuugi, a little surprised. What a strange way to ask for someone's name.

"And is that the bastard son of Kisara?"

The smile on Yuugi's face vanished. She blinked at him for a second, trying to force down her spark of anger.

"He is Kisara's son, yes." said Yuugi, keeping her voice level.

"She should have left him at home." Said the man. "A bastard son will never be recognized by anyone. Save him the trouble and her the shame."

"Oh yes, because the identity of child's parents determines their worth." Said Yuugi sarcastically, her anger flaring. "You know, the real bastards are the ones that think it matters."

The man gave Yuugi a strange look, one she returned with a glare. Then, he chuckled at her. The heck was his problem?

"I guess that makes us all bastards." Said the man, walking away.

Yuugi watched him go, still fuming. She was getting so sick of the attitude of some people at this party. She had anticipated it, but being here was different from imagining it. At least she had managed to find some new friends in the mess.

She quickly made her way back to the group, determined to be surrounded by people she actually liked. She spotted Yami who was talking to Ryuji. The two of them noticing her approaching.

"Where's Kisara?" said Ryuji.

"With Mana." Said Yuugi. "We saw her in the foyer and Kisara wanted to talk to her. I hope it goes well."

"She did?" Said Ryuji, looking alarmed. "Crap, I'll be right back."

Ryuji took off, going the way Yuugi had come.

"What was that about?" said Yuugi, bouncing Kiseki on her hip as she eyed her boyfriend. Yami looked troubled as well.

"Apparently she cornered Ryuji earlier." Said Yami. "Tried to convince him that it was a bad idea to bring Kisara back to these parties."

Yuugi grimaced.

"Was it out of concern for Kisara's emotional well being, or to prevent embarrassment?" said Yuugi

"Not sure." Said Yami, who was now staring at Yuugi. He was frowning, his eyes fixed on a point on her neck.

"Yuugi, did you get hurt?"

 _Uhhh._

Yuugi gave a nervous laugh, which was the wrong thing to do. She now had Yami's full attention. He cupped her chin, tilting it to look at the mark she had tried her best to cover up. She felt him brush his thumb over it.

"Does it hurt?" he asked, withdrawing his hand.

"It doesn't." she said, which was true. "I uh, had a little run in with Vivian in the hall."

Yami's eyes flashed dangerously.

"What happened?' he growled.

Kiseki took that moment to squirm in Yuugi's hands, his face screwing up in a customary precursor to tears. It was definitely past his bed time.

"Let's get Kiseki back to his mother." Said Yuugi, letting the boy down again. She hated to go right back, but it was obvious Kiseki was done for the day. "I'll tell you what happened on the way there."

* * *

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 **Thank you guys for the reviews! Y'all are awesome! whitlaw123, ForeverWildfire2.0 Jaylonni Love, vcjb242, SkyNakama27, guest, Guildsnake, and CottonCoccon, thank you guys!**

 **I'm still amused every time someone reviews that they usually don't like most genderbenders and FemYugi stories. Because neither do I! And the next blindship fic I've got in my head is totally a Fem! Yugi (Woops).**


	89. Chapter 89

Chapter 89

By the time they reached Kisara, Yuugi was done with her story and Kiseki was done being held. She had to fight to keep a hold of him, a little lost on what to do since she was so unfamiliar with kids. Thankfully Yami took him from her. She was grateful, but the murderous look on Yami's face probably wasn't helping Kiseki's mood.

Kisara was standing with her brother, the lining of her eyes a little red. Her head snapped up as she saw Kiseki, hurrying over to Yami.

"I'll take him, I'm sorry about that." She said, cooing at her son. Then she gave a tired smile to both of them. "Thanks for taking care of him for me."

"What happened with Mana?" said Yuugi.

Kisara took a large shaky breath.

"It seems she's still upset at me." She said, putting on a brave front. "I think I'm going home for the evening. Kiseki is tired and so am I."

It was upsetting to see Kisara down. Just a few minutes ago, she had look so pleased with how the party had been going. Yuugi could feel her own spirits dimming from seeing such an angel disheartened.

"Could you say goodbye to everyone for us?" said Ryuji, coming forward and placing a hand on his sister's shoulder.

They nodded, giving their goodbyes to the three of them. Yuugi's hand slipped into Yami's as she watched them leave, the moment bittersweet. It had been amazing to see her here tonight. It was a huge step for Kisara, but it had also brought back a lot of old wounds. Hopefully everything would be worth the heartache in the end.

"What a mess." Said Yuugi, shaking her head. "I wasn't ready for the emotional roller-coaster today. I thought I was. I really wanted Kisara and Mana to work things out."

"Give them time, Mana will come around." Said Yami, his face still stiff. "It's your situation you need to be thinking about right now Yuugi."

"I'd rather not." Said Yuugi, unconsciously rubbing her neck.

Yami noticed the movement, taking her hand to stop it. His face softened as he looked at her, a trace of pain in it.

"I won't let her do anything to you Yuugi." Said Yami. "If I have to set body guards on you, I will."

"I don't doubt it." Said Yuugi, giving a weak smile. "Do you think she'll try something tonight?"

"I'm not sure. Most likely she's already set something in motion. We'll need to be on our toes."

"How in the world did it end up like this?" said Yuugi, feeling tired. "First, I was just trying to withstand social pressure to meet your mother's expectations, and now I've got to be wary of a deranged woman who's threatened me. Plus, I'm concerned for Kisara now. The problems just like to pile up on each other don't they?"

"But we'll get through them." Said Yami confidently. He bent forward, resting his forehead against Yuugi's and closing his eyes. "I know we will."

Yuugi closed her own eyes, taking a deep breath. She allowed his presence to give her strength, his hands encircled around hers to give her stability, and his words to sooth her troubled heart. She leaned on his support, knowing he would _never_ let her fall.

"Don't do anything stupid to Vivian." Said Yuugi, eyes still closed.

"Why do you feel the need to remind me?" she heard him respond.

Yuugi opened her eyes and leaned back, giving him a wary gaze. He caught it, sending back his own wide eyed innocent look.

Yami being innocent. Phht, yeah right. Yuugi laughed at him, tugging him back towards the party.

"Let's get the last hour over with." She said. "Nothing too bad can happen at this point."

She would be eating those words soon enough.

The second they reached the party room, Yami noticed his parents subtly motioning them over. He shared a look with Yuugi before making their way towards the couple. As they got closer, Yuugi saw they were talking to a man with long light blue hair bundled together at the end. The color clashed with his purple suit, but he wore it with enough conviction that it worked. Somehow.

Her lessons with Yami helped her recognize the man. Dartz, the birthday man himself talking to Yami's parents.

"Yami, good to see you again." Said Dartz, inclining his head.

"And you." Said Yami, giving his own bow, "I hope you've had an enjoyable birthday celebration."

"Of course. It has been a delight." Said Dartz. Then his eyes slid over to Yuugi, who did her best not to stiffen. Yami noticed the attention and placed a hand on her lower back.

"Let me introduce you to my girlfriend, Yuugi Mutou." Said Yami.

"It's nice to meet you." Said Yuugi, hoping her small bow was enough. Forget meeting new people, meeting them while being under the scrutiny of Yami's parents was nerve racking enough. She was unable to read Datrz expression, unsure what he was thinking.

"The pleasure is mine" Said Dartz, giving her the same inclination he had given Yami. "Thank you for coming to my celebration. I always enjoy meeting new guests."

Yuugi just smiled, unsure how to reply. Her mind thinking too hard, stalled form the cluster of information clogging her brain. Should she wish him a happy birthday? Complement his hotel? Comment on the color of his suit?

It was only half a second pause, but it felt forever and awkward to Yuugi.

"How goes the expansion in the states?" said Yami, and Yuugi gave an internal breath of relief.

The attention was drawn away from her and for the next ten minutes, Yami and his parents made light conversation with Dartz about his current cluster of hotels he was trying to start in California. Apparently he'd been having trouble with his management team and getting the properties he wanted. She listened as best she could, most of the information flying straight over her head. A lot more went into the whole process than she realized. She kept quiet for the most part, trying not to shift her feet or glance at Yami too much.

The family seemed to be on good terms with each other.

"I'll have James send you our contacts in the area." Yami's father was saying.

"I'd appreciate that." Said Dartz. "It's hard to find men I can trust to execute quality work."

"And you're all about the perfection are you not Dartz?"

"I require a certain level of elegance and perfection in all my endeavors." Said Dartz, a knowing smile on his face. "It is how Atlantis has always functioned and how it will continue to expand."

Now Yuugi was barely listening, too far gone in their small talk. She could only take so much information before she became bored out of her mind. She had no idea how Yami managed to stay engaged.

Something did catch her attention though. It was someone that had just appeared beside Dartz. The large blonde sideburns gave him away and she recognized him as the man she had run into in the hallway earlier.

"Ah there, you are." Said Dartz, talking to the newcomer. "I was wondering where you went off to."

"Raphael, it is good to see you." Said Izumi, giving the man a nod.

Yuugi's heart sank. Was this person important? He she unknowingly mouthed off to someone she shouldn't have?

The newcomer just inclined his head in response, his attention turning to Yuugi. He paused, and she saw his eyes take her in, including Yami's arm that was still around her waist.

"This here is Yugi Mutou." Said Dartz, doing the introduction. "She's Yami's new girlfriend. Yuugi, Raphael is my eldest son."

Yuugi felt her stomach drop. This was Dartz's son? The jerk that had bothered her in the hall? How in the world had she managed to mouth off to exactly the wrong person? She felt the color drain from her face as she realized Yami's parents were standing right there, watching this encounter. Oh gosh, this could be so bad. Really bad.

"You're Yami's girlfriend?" said Raphael, who was eyeing her with interest. "I never would have thought that considering our encounter."

"Oh, have the two of you met before?" said Izumi. Her voice made Yuugi's insides freeze. She was pleading internally that Raphael wouldn't say something about what she had said. That he wouldn't make it worse. Her hopes were dashes as she noticed the gleam in Raphael's eyes.

"We ran into each other in the hall earlier." Said Raphael, smirking at Yuugi. "She was with that bastard son of Kisara's."

Yuugi's jaw clenched.

He was mocking her! Purposefully insulting Kisara again when she couldn't talk back without staring a fight between them. She glared at Raphael, and he returned the gaze with an infuriating smirk.

"Kisara is here?" said Datrz, glancing around. "I haven't seen that girl in ages? I didn't even know she accepted the invitation."

"She left a little while ago." Said Yami, and Yuugi heard the tightness in his voice. A glance showed her that he was also glaring at Raphael for some reason. "It was past her son's bed time."

"That's unfortunate." Said Dartz with a sigh. "I'd hoped to see her. Such a lovely girl, but I guess she wasn't worth your trouble." He said to Yami.

"On the contrary, she was worth every bit of it." Said Yami, and Yuugi felt her chest expand in gratitude. If she couldn't find a way to defend Kisara, she was glad Yami could.

Dartz didn't seem put out by the statement, instead distracted by his son who was apparently leaving for the night. Yuugi took the moment to spare a glance at Izumi. She was met with scarlet eyes, watching, judging her.

Izumi had noticed the strained atmosphere.

That wasn't good.

"I think we're going to start heading out soon as well." Said Yami, to his parents. "I'll see you two at home."

"Drive safely." Said Izumi. Aknamkanon just grunted in response, going back to talking with Dartz about their business.

Yami helped direct Yuugi away, keeping the hand on her lower back. She felt sick, unable to keep the growing dread rising in her chest.

"Do you need to sit down?" said Yami softly, as soon as they were far enough away.

"No, I just feel like an idiot." Said Yuugi, glancing back. She could just see Raphael from the crowd, making his way towards the exit.

"What happened?"

"When I was coming back from the bathroom, I ran into Raphael." Said Yuugi, biting her lip. "I called him a bastard. He just laughed at me and it wasn't a big deal but… if he told his father who then told your parents…"

"It could decrease their opinion of you." Said Yami, connecting the dots. "What did he say that made you mad in the first place?"

"He insulted Kisara."

Yami gave a low chuckle, brushing aside her bands with a hand. He was giving her that dazzling expression, as if he were admiring her.

"Oh Yuugi." He said, affection in his voice. "Always mad for someone else's sake."

"This is not a moment where you praise me." Said Yuugi, frowning at him. "I might had messed everything up with my careless anger."

"Maybe, maybe not. But there no point in worrying about it now."

It was true. What was done was done, and hopefully it wouldn't cause any problems. There had been enough drama tonight to last her a life time. Some of it was sure to bite her in the butt later.

"I'm done for the night." Said Yuugi, feeling tired.

"Then let's go." Said Yami. "We'll grab Jou on the way out."

But the night wasn't done with them yet. When they found Jou, it was only to witness him grab a handful of Kaiba's shirt. The scuffle that followed wasn't quiet, Jou insulting Kaiba with colorful expletives that drew a crowd. Yuugi moved to stop them, but Yami got to them first. He grabbed hold of Jou and yanked him off of Kaiba.

"Screw you!" Jou spat, an unusual bite to his rage. Even Kaiba looked unsettled, his expression flickering in uncharacteristic anger.

"Jou, stop, this is not the place for this." Said Yami, stepping between them. He held his ground between the two, his figure imposing. Yuugi stayed on the sides, watching everything unfold. The anger between the two men, the crowd of people watching, the gossip and derogatory comments about Jou flying around the group. She even saw body guards, making their way towards the commotion with the intent to step in if needed.

She marched forward, ignoring the stares and judging expressions as she grabbing Jou's arm.

"Let's go home." She said, the tiredness entering her voice. "Come on Jou, not tonight."

She was grateful when he listened.

Jou sent one last glare towards Kaiba before shrugging off her arm and stomping away towards the exit. Yami exchanged a word with Kaiba, Yuugi too far away to hear. Her attention was drawn to a single person in the crowd that had been near enough to see everything. The one person she was trying so desperately to impress.

Izumi's judging eyes were the heaviest on Yuugi's heart.

She felt Yami's hand tug her towards the exit, and she let him lead, her heart sinking with every step.

* * *

 **Thank you for the reviews! whitlaw123, Guest, Hiei Dragon Girl, light, MadolcheAnjelly, Money100, Jaylonni Love, RenMow11, ForeverWildfire2.0, and Mistoka.**

 **Yeah!**


	90. Chapter 90

Chapter 90

If Narnia was located somewhere inside covers, blankets and pillows, Yuugi would have found it by now. And she would have stayed there, never to return. She might miss her friends and pine for her boyfriend, but she'd be happy. Safe and unknown. After living a full life, she would return having forgotten all the horrible guilt and shame piled on top of her. It was a solid plan. Now she just needed to find the entrance.

Instead, she stared blankly at her phone screen, no longer seeing. She didn't need to. Her mind already knew the words so well.

She heard the door to her room open. She didn't move, listening as the person closed the door and walked across the room. The mattress sank in on one side, indicating they had sat on the bed.

"Yuugi, please come out."

She didn't move, too miserable to face Yami. Instead she locked her phone screen and rolled over, pretending she didn't exist.

A hand reached for her, prodding and pushing at the covers. He found her side and poked it. Her hand darted out to slap him away before disappearing back inside her covers.

"Please, Yuugi. It's not that bad."

She let out a sound somewhere between a snort and a helpless laugh.

"It's not. You're overreacting."

She so was not.

Yuugi wriggled out of her self-made cave and popped out to glare at Yami. He was sitting, looking entirely too patient and concerned for her sake. There was also a hint of alarm in his features. She knew she must look a mess. Her eyes and nose were red, cheeks flushed from being under the covers and her hair was plastered all over her face. Add that she was still in her pajamas in the middle of the day, she was the walking definition of miserable at the moment.

"I'm overreacting?" said Yuugi, bitterness entering her voice. "Have you even read the article!? It's a complete disaster!"

"It could be a lot worse."

"Then you obviously didn't read the same article I did. Here. Let me show you exactly why this is so bad."

She grabbed her phone from under the covers and unlocked the screen. Instantly it showed the source of her misery from which she had been pouring over for the last three hours.

 _"_ _Yami Sennen, Deceived and Disgraced Again."_ Said Yuugi, reading the headline out loud. She glowered at Yami, who still had that patient look on his face.

"Is this the article you read?" she said.

"It is."

"Then you obviously didn't pay attention!" said Yuugi, unable to stop herself. She looked back at the screen and started reading portions of the text.

" _Yami Sennen surprised the guests of Dartz's birthday party by arriving with a new woman he claimed to be his girlfriend. While the young heir is known for bringing different dates to every social event, this is the first time in years he claimed to having a relationship with one.'_ It keeps going and insulting your character, basically calling you a man-slut. Identifies me as some random beggar you hardly know."

"Oh, and this part is good." Continued Yuugi, her face twisting. "' _Upon further investigation it comes to light that Yuugi recently emerged only three months ago. After which, this newly formed female wasted no time in securing Yami as her new boyfriend a month later. It calls to question her motives-_ ' They call me a gold digger! As if I seized the opportunity to have an easy life after becoming female."

"Which we know if not true." Said Yami, still watching her. She wasn't paying attention, unable to stop until every horrible thing from this article was read out loud.

" _Witnesses report seeing Yuugi lash out at Vivian Wong. The woman was talking to Yami when Yuugi was seen assaulting her. "She completely over reacted." said Vivian Wong in an interview. "Me and Yami have been friends for years and she saw that connection as a threat. Later in the hall she cornered me and told me to stay away from Yami or else. It's obvious that Yami is being deceived by her_.'"

"Do not repeat anything Vivian says." Said Yami, "No one will take stock in her nonsense."

Yuugi ignored him.

 _"_ _Yuugi's friend seem to share her barbaric nature. She was seen trying to calm one of her friends that started an altercation with Seto Kaiba. We are still waiting to hear if the Kaiba Corporation will file charges for the assault."_

"And then!" hissed Yuugi, gripping her phone so hard it might break. "This is the worst part. _'Both Yami and Yuugi were seen exiting the police station a few weeks ago. The couple were involved in some sort of scandal surrounding a child kidnapping. The Sennen family refuses to comment._ ' They even have a picture of us Yami! As if your family covered something up to save our skins. Then they mention that you family doesn't approve of me. ' _The relationship seems reminiscent of the scandal involving Kisara Otogi a few years ago. Yuugi was seen talking with Kisara and holding her child at the party. All this behavior_ c _alls into question the sort of influence Yuugi's wild behavior will have on the heir to the Sennen compa-"_

The phone was gently taken from her hands, a click locking the screen.

"Let's put that away." Said Yami, placing the phone on his other side. He then wrapped an arm around Yuugi and pulled her close against her side. Yuugi let him, burring her face into his chest. Fingers slowly stroked through her hair, carefully brushing through the tangles. It was soothing, so different from the emotions still burning Yuugi's insides.

"After a mess like this, your mother will _never_ approve of me." Muttered Yuugi. "Everyone thinks I deceived you and that I'm a horrible influence. I've damaged your reputation. I'm sorry. I've messed everything up."

"Oh love." Said Yami softly.

He shifted, revealing Yuugi's face. He cupped her chin, gently pressing up. She fought him for a moment, then gave in as she raised her eyes to Yami's. She saw his love and care for her reflected in his face. He softly swept the hair from her eyes, tracing her face with his fingers. The red puffy eyes, her lips, her cheeks. He caressed each with tender care.

"Nothing has been ruined." Said Yami. "We can still recover from this."

"It doesn't matter." said Yuugi, lowering her eyes. "I don't want to go out there again. I can't. I'm a failure. There's no way I can get her approval."

"Yes, you can." Said Yami firmly. "And you will. I will not let this stop you. We have until my birthday and we are not going to stop until you succeed."

She still wasn't convinced.

"I thought you didn't want me to bother trying to get her approval." Said Yuugi.

"I want what's best for you." Said Yami. "And right now, giving up would be the worst thing you can do. You are an amazing, kind and generous person Yuugi, and anyone who talks to you for two seconds will realize that. You are not alone. I'm here for you Yuugi. We will not stop fighting. You _will_ overcome this, because I know you have the strength to do so."

The tears fell easily from her already moist eyes. She couldn't even begin to express how his words had affected her. In her moment of weakness when she had abandoned herself, she had someone that believed in her. Someone that caught her and gave her courage.

She hid her face into his chest, fighting to keep her sobs under control.

"Thank you." She hiccupped.

Yami hugged her tighter in response, stroking her hair until her tears ran dry.

* * *

 **Thank y'all for your love and reviews! whitlaw123, Hiei Dragon Girl, Money100, CottonCoccon. And thank you all for reading!  
**


	91. Chapter 91

Chapter 91

"Feeling better?" said Yami.

"Yeah." Said Yuugi, blowing her nose for the hundredth time. The trash can was over flowing with snot rags. Her nose hurt despite the lotion in the tissues.

After crying for the last hour, most of the initial shame was gone but it still made her sick each time she thought about the article. Especially the portion related to them getting in trouble with the cops. Yugi had never had any issues with law enforcement. A goody like her was thoroughly ashamed to even be considered in a scandal.

For a moment she imaged trying to complain to Bakura about it. The man would probably scoff at her for being such a sissy. He had been at constant odds with the law in the past until his current job. The odd thought was comforting in a way.

Yuugi nuzzled against Yami, the two of them still on her bed. It had been a very long time since she'd had a good long cry like this. It felt cleansing as well as completely draining. She concentrated on this moment, breathing in Yami's scent, relishing the feeling of being here with him. The thought never failed to lighten her heart.

"What now?" said Yuugi.

"Now, we figure out what exactly happened here." Said Yami, nodding to her phone. He still hadn't given it back to her. He was still running his fingers through her hair, the motion unconscious. "There's some things in the article that don't add up. As well as some other things."

"What do you mean?"

"For example, where is the interview Mana took with us?"

Yuugi blinked, just remembering that detail. In fact, Mana was the only reporter they had talked to that night.

"Do you think something happened to her?" said Yuugi. "Or maybe they opted to post this instead of her article?"

"I don't know." Said Yami. "It's not like papers has to worry about space anymore since everything is electronic. Though it is possible she was somehow prevented from posting anything."

"Poor Mana." Said Yuugi, rubbing her face. "Bleh, I feel like a mess. I'm going to go wash my face."

She left his side, her body immediately missing the warmth. In the bathroom, she quickly rubbed the tear mark residue from her cheeks. It felt good, the water cool and refreshing. She returned to the room a moment later, then paused in the doorway. Yami was still siting cross legged on her bed as he texted someone.

Yuugi frowned, plopping on the bed next to him. It bounced them slightly, making Yami fumble on his phone.

"You annoy me." Said Yuugi.

"What?" said Yami, completely thrown by the statement. He turned his attention to her, confused. It was no wonder. He had just so lovingly comforted her after she had cried her eyes out, and then she turned around and called him annoying.

It made sense in her head

"It's just not fair." Said Yuugi, grumbling as she picked at the comforter. "This mess includes you as well, yet I don't see you crying or having a fit. Why are you always so composed?"

"I'm not always composed; you've pointed this out before." Said Yami.

"Yes! But I've never once seen you cry before." Grumbled Yuugi. "I guess I _am_ the more feminine one. Marik was right, you wear the pants in this relationship."

Yami blinked at her for a second before bursting out laughing. It was loud and deep, making his whole body shake. Yuugi's cheeks flushed in irritation and embarrassment.

"Don't laugh at me!" she huffed, smacking him in the shoulder. He waved her off, still guffawing. It wasn't even that funny. As she watched him, shoulders shaking and holding his stomach, it made a smile creep up on her face. She was still annoyed with him though.

"That does it!"

She launched herself, tackling him to the bed. He fell backwards, still laughing at her even as she pinned him down with her legs. If he wanted to laugh, then she would give him something to laugh about. She began prodding his sides and ribs.

Yami grabbed her wrist, trying to push her off. The ensuing tussle resulted in them falling off the bed in a tangle of legs and arms. Yuugi had thankfully fallen on top of Yami or else she would have been squished. Yami was still laughing. She couldn't help her own chuckle, completely amused by the situation. They were having trouble getting untangled because they kept laughing and poking each other.

The bedroom door opened a second later, and gramps stood in the doorway.

"Are you two alright? I heard a noise." he said, then noticed them on the floor. Yuugi raised her head, her smile fading as she realized what this looked like. Both of them, laying on top of each other on the floor together, faces flushed.

"We're- it's not like that!" sputtered Yuugi.

Yami just laughed harder, grabbing her and hugging her to his chest.

 _That was just making this worse dummy!_ She fought him and her blush as she tried to wriggle out of his grasp.

"Do I need to give you two another talk about safe sex?" said gramps.

"What! NO! Get out gramps, geeze!"

Gramps just raised his hands in surrender before winking and closing the door. Yuugi deflated, turning her attention to Yami, who still had her in a boa constrictor's grip. His laughter had finally subsided to amused chuckles as he beamed at her.

"What was that about?" said Yuugi, sticking her lip out in a pout.

Yami shrugged, his smile widening. "You're ridiculous."

"You're the one that started laughing like a maniac!"

"I guess." Said Yami, lifting his head to seal his lips against hers.

Her eyes closed, and she responded with enthusiasm, wanting the comfort and love. The contact sent a flurry of nerves through her chest to her stomach, sending a heightened awareness through her limbs. And suddenly she was aware of the places her body was in contact with his. The heat radiating through his clothes, her chest against his. Their legs were still tangled together, his hands in her hair. Each point of contact was multiplied tenfold, and she relished in the feeling.

This was what she had needed. This feeling of euphoria and comfort. It washed away all the guilt and sorrow, surrounding her with happiness and a hint of lust. Their kiss had deepened, and she gave a light groan as she felt Yami's tongue in her mouth. Her mind was fogging up, forgetting everything but what she felt now.

Slowly, she broke off the kiss, only a few inches away. Yami's hand was now cradling her face, his expression so bright she had to look away from embarrassment. Her heart couldn't take much more happiness without completely busting.

She stopped propping herself up, plopping down onto Yami's chest to snuggle against him. He gave a light 'oof' as she knocked the air from his lungs.

"Sorry." She muttered, to which Yami just chuckled.

They stayed there for a moment, both soaking in the moment. Yami's hand was running slowly up and down her back, soothing and comforting. Those were some of the best words to describe how she felt when she was with Yami. She had her ear pressed against his chest, listening to him breathe.

"By the way," said Yami suddenly. "Marik was messing with you."

"It is what he does." she said, not sure what he was talking about.

Another pause, and Yuugi counted his breaths for a moment. Then she gathered her courage.

"Yami." Said Yuugi slowly. "I think I know what I want to do next."

"What is it?"

She rolled off of Yami, sitting up and turning to face him. He sat up as well, giving her a curious look as he gave her his full attention.

She took a breath, knowing it was what she needed to do. It didn't make the prospect any easier. But it was important, to show that she was not going to let this stop her. As well as to see where she stood in the current situation.

"I need to go talk with your mother."

* * *

 **Thank you all for your reviews! whitlaw123, personumberone, Guildsnake, Mistoka, Guest, Guildsnake, justsomeone, Renmow11, MadolceAnjelly, . No worries about not reviewing. Real life is much more important, I know this very well. Good luck with final exams and such! Those suck.**

 **So in a competition for being the bigger b*tch. Who wins? Vivian, or Izumi? ;)**

 **Ugh, the over 100 chapters is inevitable. Someone kick me.** **Let's hope Yuugi and Yami can find a solution to this mess. I needed some fluff. Yuugi's going to have to gather all of her courage to face what's ahead of her. Cheers.  
**


	92. Chapter 92

Chapter 92

It wasn't every day that Yuugi got to visit her boyfriend's house. In fact, she had never been inside before. The man had never invited her over, and she had never asked. It was natural for him to always be over at her place. Standing in the entryway of the house, she felt like she could somewhat understand why.

The place was huge! And not like, middle class 'the person has a nice place' huge. Like, you feel small just being there. It reminded her of Kaiba's house. More a mansion and way too big for the few people that lived inside.

The place was spotless, tidy, not a single thing out of place. There was even a maid, carrying around cleaning supplies as she did her duties. Who the heck has maids in this day and age?

Overall, it was intimidating, and she was glad Yami was there with her. It reminded her she was in his house, not some stranger showing their house to the public because people who were rich did that. Seriously. Imagine being so wealthy and famous that you could 'show' your house to curious guests that had nothing better to do with their time. That's what this reminded her of.

"So uh, this is home."

Yami, who she just noticed, was nervously scratching the back of his neck. It dawned on her that she had stopped frozen in the doorway and hadn't moved for two minutes.

"It's… a… big?" said Yuugi weakly.

"That it is." Said Yami, taking her hand, he began leading her to one of the other rooms. "I would give you a tour, but I doubt you'd pay attention since you'd just be thinking about your inevitable meeting with my mother."

"Sorry, what?" said Yuugi, who had missed what Yami had said. She was staring at the chandelier, crystal dripping from the huge light fixture. It looked like something you'd drop on the Phantom.

"Never mind." Said Yami, with a smile. "It's this way."

She let him lead her through the rooms, making note of what she saw. Fancy upholstery, pristine flower arrangements, expensive furniture. It all spoke of money.

They entered a hall with several doors, stopping in front of one of them. Yami gave her a look, raising an eyebrow at her.

"You ready?" he said.

She wasn't.

"Yeah."

Yami knocked on the door.

There were sounds within, and then it opened. A women Yuugi didn't recognized stood in front of them, wearing a pencil skirt and a tight bun with even tighter facial features. Lips, eyes, skin were all exaggerated, stretched to give her a severe appearance.

"Young master, you're home." Said the woman. "Would you like me to make you some lunch?"

"It's not necessary Julia." Said Yami, waving her away. "We were wondering if we could speak to my mother."

Julie's eyebrows twitched as she pulled out her smart phone and began tapping at it. Yuugi waited impatiently, the anticipation making it worse.

"She had a one o'clock cancel last minute." Said Julie, "You can see her in fifteen minutes if that would work with you."

"That would be fine, thank you." Said Yami, "We will wait."

Julie opened the door further, and Yami walked in, Yuugi trailing behind him. They were in a sitting room, like the ones where people would wait before being let into the main office. There were a few chairs on the small room and a single desk that Julie sat at, typing away on the laptop placed on it's top.

Yuugi sank into one of the love seats, Yami sitting next to her. She looked around, feeling odd. After a few minutes, Julie grabbed some documents, walking into the door in the side of the room, which was no doubt the main office. It left Yuugi and Yami alone in the room. She couldn't help breathing a sigh of relief.

"Am I the only one that finds it odd you have an office and a sitting room in your house?" said Yuugi.

"Kaiba has one in his house." Said Yami. "You don't find it odd there do you?"

"Yes, but that's Kaiba." said Yuugi, rolling her eyes. "I wouldn't be surprised if he slept in his business suit and ate nails for breakfast. I guess I feel strange finally seeing where you live after all these years." Almost as if she had never truly known him.

Yami leaned back in the seat, crossing his legs and smiling at her with a gleam in his eyes.

"Yuugi, how would you describe this house?" said Yami.

"Huge?" said Yuugi. "Expensive. Clean."

"Anything else?"

She hesitated, not wanting to be insulting. But he had asked.

"It feels cold and lonely." Said Yuugi honestly. "More like a living space than an actual home." She had noted as they passed through the house that there were no family pictures. No personal effects that changed a house into a home. Like a shell of what it should be.

"That, is exactly why I never bothered inviting you here." Said Yami. "Because your house always felt more like home than this place ever did."

Yuugi looked down at her clasped hands before letting herself slump sideways, leaning on Yami.

"That's the cutest excuse I've ever heard for not inviting me over." Said Yuugi.

"It's not meant to be cute."

"It's adorable!"

She felt Yami chuckle, making her shake slightly. After a few more minutes, the door opened and Julie walked out. The two of them stood up in anticipation, all of Yuugi's nerves rushing back into her.

"She will see you now." Said Julia, but when they both walked forward, she held up a hand. "She wishes to only see Yuugi."

Yami frowned at her. "You can tell her that she will be seeing both of us."

"She said either it's just Yuugi, or nothing. She will not see you both."

Yami opened his mouth again, no doubt to argue some more, but Yuugi put a hand on his arm.

"It's alright." Said Yuugi. "Thank you, but I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" said Yami, his concern obvious.

Yuugi shrugged. "If not, I'll get over it."

"You do realize that does absolutely nothing to help my concerns."

In response she gave him a kiss on the cheek before winking at him. He could see her conviction. She was determined, and nothing was going to make her back down. She stepped forward, walking through the room and letting the door close behind her.

The room was exactly what one would expect from a typical office. A desk, office supplies, revolving chairs and drawers of files lining the room. The room was surprisingly bright, the curtains drawn to let the sun shine in through.

Izumi sat at her desk, acrylic nails tapping on the desk as she watched Yuugi walk into the room. Yuugi was suddenly glad she had taken the time to clean herself up, get rid of the red puffy eyes and wear semi casual baseness outfit. Izumi looked immaculate like always, the perfect image of a middle aged business woman.

"Please, sit." Said Izumi, gesturing to the chair in front of her desk.

Yuugi sat.

And then she completely freaked out internally. Her mind went blank, the only thing registering was that this was the woman she had to impress. This was the woman who peered her judging eyes at everything, weighing their worth and disposing of those things she didn't deem necessary.

Yuugi kept her shaking hands in her lap, scrambling, trying her best to think of something to say. Anything about the article. Their current standing with her. Anything.

The seconds ticked by, Yuugi staring at the woman and Izumi staring back, seemingly bored.

Finally, after what seemed like an agonizing eternity, Izumi spoke.

"You're here about the article I presume."

Yuugi nodded.

Another pause, this once worse than before.

Again it was Izumi that broke the silence.

"What are you going to do about it?"

"I- er" she had to take a second to swallow so she could speak properly. "We're not sure yet. We're still trying to figure out where things stand before going forward."

"Which is basically saying you don't have a plan."

Ouch. She got her there.

"It doesn't mean we're going to give up." Said Yuugi. "We'll find a way to get through this."

"Of course." Said Izumi, though it was said as if she were humoring a child. Patronizing. Condescending. It ignited Yuugi's courage.

"Yami seems to think I am overreacting, that the article isn't as bad as it seems. What do you think?"

Izumi raised an eyebrow. The question had caught her off guard. Strange.

"So you came here to get advice on how to handle the situation?" said Izumi.

"Not exactly." Said Yuugi. "I wasn't sure what to expect, but I knew I had to come talk to you. To show you that this article wasn't going to stop me."

Izumi made a humming sound, leaning back in her seat. She was looking at Yuugi with a different expression, thoughtful, but also calculating.

"I'll admire your effort for coming here." Said Izumi. "But I will not give you any assistance. This is something you and Yami have to get through, and if you can't overcome such a simple hurdle, then I'm afraid this life is not for you."

Well, it was worth a shot. Yuugi grimaced.

"Here's the thing Yuugi." Said Izumi suddenly, holding up a finger. "You are not used to this world. You do not understand it, and you will not do well in it. This article highlighted just how naïve you are, and you will drag Yami down with you."

"I have to disagree with you." Said Yuugi. "It's true that I do not understand this world, and that I am naïve, but I will not drag Yami down with me. I can learn, and I will get you to approve of me."

Izumi gave a short laugh, actually smiling at her. It looked more like a sneer.

"Oh Yuugi, and you see, this is your problem." Said Izumi. "You think that it is my approval you have to get and then you are home free. You can't see the bigger picture. Tell me, even if you get my approval, how are you going to face all the other people that don't accept you? How are you going to handle those that see you, as an emerged female, and are disgusted with what you are?"

Yuugi flinched, unable to help the shame filling her. She didn't answer, because she really didn't have a good answer. It still hurt when people called her a freak in the halls, when they called her gross for being an emerged female.

Izumi tilted her head at Yuugi, eyes narrowing.

"I see you don't have a good answer for me." Said Izumi. She let out a sigh, pulled out a sheet of paper in front of her. "It's obvious you don't have anything to show me that will change my mind. Please see yourself out."

Izumi moved through her papers, having already dismissed Yuugi from her mind. Yuugi sat there for a moment, too surprised and affronted to react. When the words sunk in, she clenched her jaw and left without looking back, too afraid she might scream in frustration.

This had been a complete waste of time

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **And for your lovely reviews! Guest, whitlaw123, Jaylonni Love, Mistoka, personumberone SkyNakama27, and crazy and random child. Thank you my wonderful friends! Like, really, I wait with breathless anticipation to see how you will like the story... okay so it's not breathless but I still wait!  
**

 **So it looks like it's pretty even on the 'who is the bigger buttmunch' competition. I'll give my opinion when the rest of the mess is done unfolding. XD  
**


	93. Chapter 93

**Hi guys! I needed a break, so I took one. Now I'm back! Yay.**

Chapter 93

Yuugi walked out of Izumi's office, feeling frustrated. Yami stood up as soon as he saw her, raising an eyebrow

"That was quick." he said.

Yuugi didn't answer, jerking her head towards the door to indicate that she wanted to leave. Yami nodded to the assistant before following her out of the house.

"There was no point in coming here." Said Yuugi. "It was a waste of time."

"What did she say?" said Yami.

"I'll tell you on the way home."

Once they were safely in the confines of the car, Yuugi could review the brief encounter she had with Izumi. It may have been short, but it had left a very sour taste in her mouth.

"She doesn't have an ounce of sympathy for us." Grumbled Yuugi. "Most people would at least sympathize with someone in this situation, but not her! She basically said I deserved all the bad press for not being able to prevent it. I did nothing wrong!"

"To my mother, the omission of acting is just as bad as misbehavior." Said Yami. "She didn't need to be so unpleasant." He was driving, face forward with an ugly look. It had grown when Yuugi had told the whole of her encounter. His hands on the steering wheel would flex occasionally, gripping a little harder than usual.

"Didn't even want to listen, what a jerk!" Said Yuugi, leaning back against the leather seats before quickly adding. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that. She's your mother."

"And a grump." Said Yami.

Still, Yuugi should be respectful towards her elders. Gramps had brought her up to show respect, even if the person didn't always deserve it.

Yami's phone started ringing a second later. It was hooked up to a magnetic stand on his dashboard where he pressed the answer button, speaking via bluetooth.

"What did you find?" said Yami.

Kaiba's voice answered back, coming through the speakers. "A lot of the information came from a third-party source. Someone just handed the writing team a folder with information and pictures to do the piece."

Yuugi sent Yami a questioning look, one he didn't see as he was looking forward while driving. It seemed that Yami had contacted Kaiba about the article when Yuugi wasn't there. She listened carefully, nervous with anticipation.

"Normally it would be hard to figure out who the anonymous tipper was," continued Kaibe. "but with enough description, we were able to figure it out."

"Let me guess." Said Yami. "It was someone related to my mother."

"No." said Kaiba. You could hear him shuffling something in the background. "The man was identified as Steve Johnson. He's connected to the Wong family. Known to do some of their dirty work in the shadows without bringing attention to himself."

"Vivian?" said Yuugi, surprised. "You mean she gave the press that information?"

"I see Yuugi is there as well." Said Kaiba's voice over the speakers. "We're not sure which part the man supplied, but it would appear the Wongs were partially involved."

"Do we know what parts of the article came from them?" said Yami.

"It would be guess work at this point." Said Kaiba. "All we know for certain is that they had pictures and a recording of you two."

A recording? A recording of what? Had someone been following them and recording their conversations at the party? The thought made her feel violated, even more so than before with this article. Never had she had her personal life so thoroughly invaded like this. She didn't like how she felt. Exposed to everyone.

Yami drummed his fingers against the wheel, waiting at a stop light. "Were you able to find anything else out?"

"Some." Said Kaiba. "Things are still coming in, but we have the original police report from your little escapade. We have the family's contact information as well."

"Send that over. We might need it."

"And what are you going to give me in return?"

"I'll have to owe you one." Said Yami. Then he smirked "Unless you need me to smooth things over with Jou again."

"There's no need." Said Kaiba, and extra tightness in his voice. "I'll send the info to your phone."

Yuugi recognized that Kaiba was going to hang up, with little warning like he usually did.

"Wait!" she said.

There was a pause, and she wondered if he had already hung up. Then, "What is it?"

"Thank you." Said Yuugi, and she meant it. She felt better already, knowing more information about the current situation. Like she finally was starting to get some control back in her life.

Kaiba let out some sort of grunt, which she interpreted as a 'your welcome.' It was the closest one could get with Kaiba. "You still owe me Yami."

Then he hung up.

"That was nice of Kaiba to look into the press piece for us." Said Yuugi.

"I asked him to this morning." Said Yami, turning onto the street a couple blocks from her house. "The second I saw that article actually. I knew we would have to deal with some press but I didn't expect it to be so bad."

"And now we know it was partially because of Vivian." Said Yuugi with a grimace. Even if Vivian was a nasty woman, Yuugi couldn't deny that she fulfilled on her threats. The woman created results. "I can't believe they even had a recording of us. Did you notice anyone recording our conversations at the party?"

"I did." Said Yami. "And so did you."

"No I didn't." said Yuugi, Well, not unless you counted the interview they had with Mana, but that…

Oh no, Mana.

"Do you think someone stole Mana's recording?" said Yuugi, instantly worried for her friend.

"I'm not sure." Said Yami. "They would have had to steal her phone to do that, and I know she keeps it pretty well secure with all the information she stores on it."

"But what if they stole the recording once she was at work. Got on her computer or something?"

"That's one possibility." Said Yami slowly. "There's also another."

One Yuugi didn't even want to consider. She already felt bad for briefly thinking it. Thinking that maybe Mana had given up the recording by her own volition. Which would make no sense. Yami said she had integrity. The reporter had felt genuine, like she had no problem telling you the truth of how she felt. She hadn't said anything about Kisara's incident after all. Why would she out Yami and Yuugi but not Kisara?

"We don't even know if the recording they were talking about was Mana's" said Yuugi.

"True." Said Yami, but she could tell by the way he said it that he didn't agree with her. He glanced at his phone. It had gone off, indicating that he got a text message. "By the way, you should turn your phone back on. Anzu is starting to get worried."

Yuugi pulled out her phone, holding down the side button and watching the start up animation. After reading the article, she had turned her phone off to stop herself from looking at it.

"I just makes no sense." Said Yuugi. "I don't think she would betray us like that. The recording must be something else- and gosh!" she nearly dropped her phone as it began vibrating violently from all the missed texts and calls she had received. There were messages from Anzu, Ryou, Jou, Honda, Ryuji… the list went on for a while. She couldn't help smiling, scrolling through her messages and tapping on the latest one from Anzu. A brief glance showed several text messages asking how Yuugi was doing and telling her not to mind the ' _stupid freaking jerks with no life_ '.

Yuugi had just reached the end of the conversation when she felt the car slow down, indicating that Yami was about to park.

"Hey Yuugi, check it out."

She looked up, noticing what Yami had pointed out. It only made her smile widen.

Yuugi stuffed her phone into her pocket as she tore off her seat belt. She quickly left Yami behind in her haste, not wanting the person pacing in front of her house to notice her yet. They had their head down, mumbling something to themselves.

She was almost on them.

"MAL!"

Malik jumped, jerking his head up just in time to see Yuugi fling herself onto him. The man started cursing, trying to push Yuugi off him.

"Holy hell! Stop jumping me every time you see me it's freaggin' annoying!"

"Bhu I'm jus sho hapy to shee yuu." Said Yuugi, her voice distorted as Mal pressed his hand against her cheek and pushed away.

"Seriously, you and Marik need some lessons on personal space. Yami! Get your gorilla girlfriend off me!"

"She's more a monkey than a gorilla." Said Yami smoothly, tugging on Yuugi. She relented, allowing Yami to pry her off the still cursing Egyptian. Mal was readjusting his clothes, grumbling under his breath about 'never should have come….'

"Were you worried about me?" said Yuugi, her eyes lighting up. Mal's name had been one of the few absent from her list of people that had texted and called. "You came to check instead of just calling! I feel so touched."

"Who said I was worried about you!?" said Mal.

His face did, that's what. He might be snarling, but she wasn't fooled. He couldn't hide the blush that was creeping up his neck. That wasn't caused by the icy air, and she could tell he was cold. His fingers and nose were red from the amount of time he had spent pacing outside, no doubt too nervous or embarrassed to knock on the door.

It warmed her heart further. He really cared about her!

Izumi might be a bitch, Vivian was insane, and the general populace may think she was a greedy criminal who was dragging Yami down with her. But she still had her friends. They were on her side, helping and strengthening her. She could feel all their concern, and love in the ways they supported her. It made her throat constrict.

Malik started sputtering, waving his hands in front of her face.

"N-no that's not what I - I didn't mean it like - Don't cry!"

Yuugi didn't even realize she had started crying. She couldn't tell the difference between her sobs and laughter as Yami started chiding Mal for "Making my girlfriend cry."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **And for your reviews and love and support! personumberone, Alice Harkey, Hiei Dragon Girl, ForeverWildfire2.0, whitlaw123, crazy and random child, Guest, Scarlet Vow, RenMow11, and Justsomeone. I'm like Yuugi right now, the support is awesome! It really makes a difference when you're going through tough times when you have friends/family that support you.**

 **True, this story is coming up on 100 chapters, but the chapters are shortish. On average 1,900 words per chapters. I think chapters around 5,000 are the best. they're long enough you can submerse yourself into them, but you don't get tired of them and they leave you wanting more. My personal opinion right here.**


	94. Chapter 94

Chapter 94

Once Yuugi was done being emotional, she quickly ushered Mal inside, ignoring his insistence that he didn't come to see her.

"Then who did you come to see?" said Yuugi, unable to stop herself from teasing Mal. He paused at the doorway, muttering something about insufferable people. Yuugi chuckled to herself.

As she started to lead him inside, she heard voices coming from the living room. Had other people come over as well?

Upon entering the living room, she was proven right. Ryou, Bakura, Marik and Jou were all in her house… and trailing chips and snacks all over the floor. While some people might have been offended, or annoyed to come home and find that their friends had not only invaded her house, but raided the pantry as well, Yuugi was ecstatic.

Jou and Marik were fighting, Bakura was encouraging them and Ryou just looked like she wanted the noise to end. Yup. This was how the world should always be.

Marik was the first person to notice them. He had Jou in a headlock, telling him that he should be 'grateful' he was so 'merciful' - when he glanced up.

"You're here!" said Malik, face splitting into a grin.

He dropped Jou - who fell without warning and a painful thump – and practically ran over to them. Yuugi was surprised at his enthusiasm.

…then she was shoved aside as Marik tried to grab Mal.

Mal managed to put a hand on Marik's chin, pushing Marik back much in the same way he had done with Yuugi earlier.

"Back away!" cried Mal, as if he were shooing a dog.

"Not possible. I am compelled to maintain physical contact with you at all times." Said Marik.

"Compel yourself to stop before I castrate you!"

"Yuugi, Yami!" said Jou, ignoring the two blondes as they wrestled with each other. Yuugi smiled, walking farther into the room as she was pulled into a hug. Jou was so much bigger than her that he could have squished her.

"It's good to see yah little dude, I was worried." Said Jou, pulling away and ruffling her hair. "I guess I shouldn't have been. 'Course you were with Yami."

"You're talking as if I was missing or something." Said Yuugi with a laugh.

Jou shrugged. "Well with that article, I wasn't sure what you'd do. Not sure what I'd do either."

"So you read it." Said Yuugi, some of her mood sinking. She couldn't help it. A large part of her was ashamed about it.

"I did." Said Jou, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was worried about yah."

That didn't look like all he wanted to say based on how antsy he appeared.

"How are you holding up?" said Ryou, who had come over.

"As best as I can." Said Yuugi with a shrug. "most of the shock is over, but I'd be lying if I said I was completely fine."

"It was just awful." Said Ryou, looking disgusted. "The things they said about you. It was complete crap! They just spouted a bunch of nonsense. The media is so concentrated on creating a story that they don't care about the actual truth. Or the people that are hurt by their lies."

"Thanks Ryou." Said Yuugi.

"So, what are you going to do about the deal?"

"Tell Izumi to stick it where the sun don't shine!" cried Marik from the other side of the room. He had somehow managed to convince Mal to sit next to him on the couch. Mal had his legs crossed, obviously pouting.

They all ignored Marik.

"We're not sure." Said Yuugi, glancing at Yami. "We just went to talk to Yami's mother, but it didn't go too well."

"But we're not going to give up." Said Yami, giving Yuugi a smile. "Far from it."

"Good on yah." Said Jou. "So, what's the plan?"

"Still trying to figure it out." Said Yami. "I want to see what you guys think."

They moved to the couches, Ryou taking her place next to Bakura while Jou took the single seater. Yuugi sat on the floor beside Ryou, snatching a bag of chips from the coffee table and eating. Yami took his place standing in front of the TV.

"First, I want to know what you found out." Said Yami, looking to Bakura.

"Eh? Did you send Bakura to find stuff out as well?" said Yuugi.

Yami nodded. "I figured he could tell us a little bit more about the police report and when we were taken in since he works with the police."

"And the underground." added Bakura, finding something on his phone. "Here it is. I got all the information on the family who brought you two in. And had a nice little chat with them as well."

Yami frowned. "You weren't supposed to make contact."

"Things didn't go as planned, I had to roll with it." Said Bakura, waving away his comment. "And it turned out to be a good thing. I was able to 'persuade' the wife to tell me who paid her to frame you two."

Ryou gave Bakura a firm stare. "Bakura…"

"Don't worry, I didn't do anything illegal." Said Bakura, absently placing a hand on Ryou's knee. "The family was glad to tell their end of the story. It sounds like they were blackmailed into cooperating in the scheme. They were told to get Yuugi in trouble without implicating Yami. They decided on a fake kidnapping, but panicked when the two of you got close to the police station and pulled Yami into the mess."

"What sort of blackmail?" said Yami.

"The family had some hefty debts." Said Bakura. "Not sure where from, but a man claimed to have bought all their debts and threatened to call them all in. Which of course later they found out was false."

"And do we know who this man was?"

"Yup."

Bakura tossed Yami the phone, who caught it.

Yami grimaced. "Now that's interesting."

"What is it?" said Yuugi.

Yami turned the phone around, and the group all leaned in. It was a professional picture of a man in a business suite. He was bald, yet young with mismatched eyes. One was brown, while the other was a lighter green. Under the face was a name.

"Steve Johnson?"

"Fitting name for a dick!"

Mal nearly choked on the chip he had just put in his mouth.

"Wait a second." Said Yuugi slowly. "Didn't we just hear that name?"

"We did." Said Yami, looking grim. "It was the same person who gave the information to the papers. This man is associated with the Wong family."

"Wong and Johnson. I'm starting to see a trend."

"Ha! I see what you did there."

"Are yah saying that they're the ones dat set you two up?" said Jou. "I thought it was your parents dat did that."

"So did I." said Yami, handing Bakura back the phone. "It looks like Vivian was trying to wreck out relationship even before the party."

Yuugi was stunned. No wonder Vivian had been so confident in her threat against Yuugi. She had already been attempting to ruin the relationship. The woman must have been obsessed with Yami. Probably had people following him or at school that kept her informed.

"Man Yami, dat girl's more of a bitch than I thought she was." Said Jou.

"What are we going to do about her?" said Yuugi.

Yami didn't answer. He had a hand to his head in thought, his frown even deeper now. He was probably concerned how early on Vivian had been interfering. Also, that Izumi hadn't had anything to do with the mess. He'd been so sure it was her that had set up that scheme.

"Let's concentrate on addressing the backlash from the article." Said Yami. "Then go on from there."

"So this has turned into a planning meeting." Said Bakura. "I just came to give you information, not get pulled into this mess."

Ryou gave Bakura a reprimanding look, clearing saying _"Don't be a jerk."_

"No one's making you stay!" said Marik.

Bakura moved to stand up, but a hand on his shoulder stopped his ascent. Ryou was giving Bakura an icy glare. He glared back, then slowly sat back down, placing his hand back on Ryou's knee as he grumbled.

"Ha! Apparently, someone is!"

"Go to hell!"

"Time out." Said Yuugi, interrupting the two men as they glared at each other. Something had caught her eye. The hand that rested on Ryou's knee was decorated with a silver ring. Then she noticed a matching one on Ryou's left hand.

"Ryou! What is this?" said Yuugi, pointing at the ring on Bakura's hand.

Ryou turned pink, but didn't say anything.

"What does it look like shrimp?" said Bakura, annoyed.

"Either you have couple's rings, or you're engaged."

"Dude, you two are engaged?"

"When did this happen?"

"Are yah pregnant?"

"NO!" said Ryou, nearly jumping out of her seat.

"So you're not engaged?" said Yuugi.

"Yes. I mean, no, we are engaged…" said Ryou, her voice turning quiet.

"That's awesome!" said Yuugi, "Congratulations!"

"How the heck did that happen?"

"Bakura, you cradle robber, wait until she's at least 18!"

The conversation had complete derailed, but Yuugi didn't care. Ryou was being hailed by congratulations and questions about the engagement like when they would get married and why the hell they hadn't told any of them sooner and if Bakura just wanted to get home and have more sex and that's why he was such a grump. Ryou was turning redder with each question, but she was shining brightly with nervous delight.

Yuugi was excited for her friend, and more than a little surprised. She had never taken Bakura as the marrying type. It was great to see Ryou so happy, beaming at all the attention. Ryou tried more than once to steer the conversation back to helping Yuugi with her predicament, but it never stuck. The group turned into a mess as Jou and Mark started calling everyone they knew to tell them the good news.

"Let Ryou tell them herself you idiot." Mal had scolded Marik, batting away the phone.

"How about we get married too?" said Marik

That had started a whole other round of teasing and squabbling. Yuugi was laughing so hard her sides hurt by the end of it. She was seated next to Yami, who had stolen the couch seats as Marik had gotten up to chase Mal around the room.

"Did you think we were going to actually get any planning done with this group?" said Yuugi to Yami.

"For a minute, I had hope." Said Yami shaking his head. "You're the one that started this in the first place."

"How could I not? They had matching rings Yami. Rings!"

On the other side of the room, she could hear Anzu squealing from the phone in Ryou's hand, who was holding it a foot from her ear. Their planning session had turned into a 'let's invite everyone over to celebrate Ryou's engagement' party.

Yuugi wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **And thank you for your latest reviews! ForeverWildfire2.0, Guest, Mistoka, personumberone, Phoenix Flametail, whitlaw123, crazy and random child, Hiei Dragon Girl, SkyNakama27, rutilus rose, and I Died Laughing. Hehe. Malik is adorable.**

 **I have a bad habit of posting as soon as I am done with a chapter cause I just want it to go up. And then I spend the first hour afterwards re-uploading different versions of the chapter cause of all of the minor spelling and grammar errors. Woops.  
**

 **If anyone wants to listen to a super duper cute song, go listen to "Boop" by Jeff Williams and Casey Lee Williams. Completely stuck in my head and reminding me of these two cuties.  
**


	95. Chapter 95

Chapter 95

"You have some of the strangest friends." Said Mal.

"Are they?" said Yuugi. "They seem pretty normal to me."

Her and Yami had just returned with pizza and drinks for the party. Mal had come over and snatched a piece of pizza, watching the group as they each dared each other to eat a spoonful of something you usually didn't eat by itself. Like mustard, or salt. So far it looked like Jou was winning, having just chugged some fish oil.

Honda and Anzu had arrived after being summoned by Ryou. Jou's sister, Serenity, was there as well. Her and Honda were both to the side of the room, Honda as stiff as a board. Add in gramps to the mix and it was a very full house.

"Just wait until they start arguing if Ryou should have a bachelor or a bachelorette party." Said Yami.

"Bachelorette. I think Anzu would cry if we denied her that." Said Yuugi.

Mal shrugged, standing awkwardly by the food with them as he chewed silently. Something was on his mind. Yuugi glanced at Yami, then nodded to the room. He got the hint and walked away, leaving Yuugi alone with Mal. Because they could communicate silently like that.

"What's on your mind?" said Yuugi.

Mal looked at her, surprised. "Nothing."

"Your poker face is astounding." Said Yuugi dryly.

"Gosh, I forgot how much of a pain you can be."

"How did you forget? We spent all those evening together dancing in each other's arms." Yuugi held out her arms, as if dancing with an invisible partner. She grinned at Mal's frustrated expression. "Come on Mal, what's up? Did you really come to see if I was alright, or is something bothering you?"

Mal ran a hand through his hair, and Yuugi could see the walls starting to come down. Her instincts had been right. Something was up.

"Not exactly…" said Mal. "It's dumb. Never mind."

"Mal. I'm not going to laugh. Okay, I might, but not at you."

Mal eyed her, sizing up her sincerity. Then he gave a sigh.

"The thing is-"

And the moment was never meant to be. Bakura came wondering over, grumpy face as he stomped up to Yuugi.

"Do you have any beer?" said Bakura, looking irritated.

"Why are you asking me that?" said Yugi, pointing in the room. "Gramps is over there."

"He won't give me any."

"Then why the hell should I?"

"Because this is a party." Said Bakura, growling. "A party needs alcohol."

Marik hailed them, walking over as he clutched two cans. "Check out what I found." Said Marik, waggling one at Bakura.

"Did you just raid my grandpa's alcohol cabinet?" said Yuugi, glancing back into the room. Gramps hadn't noticed. At least not yet.

Marik shrugged. "He won't notice." But Mal snatched the drink from Marik's hand.

"Don't drink that, you're underage." Said Mal.

"Hey! I was going to share with you I promise!"

"I don't want to drink!" Mal was flustered, arguing yet again with Marik. Yuugi wondered if the two ever got tired of it, though the results were often amusing.

Bakura just shrugged, opening his own can. Yugi deftly snatched it from Bakura just as he was about to take a drink.

"Give it back Mutou." Said Bakura.

"Is it so hard to enjoy our presence without becoming intoxicated?" said Yugi.

Bakura didn't answer, growling indistinctly as he took back the drink and began to chug it.

Yugi shook her head, mostly put out that her conversation with Mal had been interrupted. The man was now conversing with Marik, thoroughly scolding him for something else he had stupidly done.

The party continued, with plenty of jokes poked at the new engaged couple. They played games, ate and watched as Gramps tore into Bakura for stealing his drinks. Which of course everyone else knew it was Marik that had found the stash. Anzu was beside herself with excitement, asking Ryou what she planned to wear, and where was the ring, and what the colors would be, and who was invited, and so forth. Poor Ryou was not prepared for Anzu, who had to eventually be stopped by Yami, who politely asked her not to interrogate Ryou.

Mostly, the party was good fun, laughing and enjoying each other company as they congratulated Ryou and Bakura.

Though there was one point she wanted to kill her friends.

"So Pharaoh, when are you and the squirt going to get hitched?" said Marik.

Yuugi, who had been taking a drink from her soda, chocked, spitting drink all over Ryou.

Thankfully the group wasn't paying attention or else she would have had to endure their comments. Yami, who was sitting next to her at the time, simply deflected the comment by telling him to worry about his own love life. Yes it didn't escape her attention the slight stiffness in his actions for the next five minutes following the comment.

Getting married to Yami? Being his wife? Okay, first off, Yuugi wasn't sure she could get over the idea of being a bride instead of a groom. Next. Yami? Marrying the sexy tall drink of water? Hmmmmm.

It was Yuugi's turn to act strangely for the next five minutes, a constant blush on her face as she tried to rid the images from her mind.

* * *

 **Thank you for reviews! crazy and random child, whitlaw123, personumberone, Rivergoddess117, ForeverWildfire2.0, Justsomeone (x2), MadolcheAnjelly. I'm excited that many of you have stayed with me this long, even as my updates have slowed down. (Blame the other Hikari story. It's made me mix up Yuugi's gender more than once.).**

 **I am determined to finish this story before the year ends. Gahhh!**


	96. Chapter 96

Chapter 96

The party was basically over. It was getting late, especially for a school night and most of the party people had already headed home. Yuugi was helping gramps clean up when Jou walked up to her.

"Hey Yugi, can I talk to ya for a second?"

"Sure." Said Yuugi, continuing to clean the plates. Then she noticed Jou's hunched shoulders, the flick of his eyes towards gramps. He wanted a more private conversation.

"Hang on a second." Yuugi put down the plates, drying her hands before walking over to Jou, further away from gramps.

Jou had his hands stuffed in his pockets, eyes looking at the ground instead of Yuugi.

"I really want to apologize for what happened at the party." Said Jounouchi, grumbling as he spoke. "I was actin' stupid and it didn't look good on you guys."

For a moment Yuugi was confused. Of course he acted stupid at a party. It was what he did. It wasn't a party without Jou, Marik and Bakura doing some sort of… Oh! He was talking about the party with the elites. Not Bakura's and Ryou's impromptu engagement party. This must be the reason Jou had come over to her house.

"Are you talking about the fight with Kaiba?" said Yuugi, making sure she was on the same page. The last thing she needed was a misunderstanding with one of her friends.

Jou nodded, embarrassed and ashamed. She instantly wanted her friend to feel better, to say that it was no big deal, but it wasn't the truth.

"I won't lie and say it didn't make me uncomfortable in the moment." Said Yuugi with a shrug "But I was glad you were there. It wasn't a pleasant night for either of us, and you came knowing it would be like that. So, thank you for being there to support me Jou."

Jou grimaced, finally meeting Yuui's eyes as he gave a hesitant grin. "You're too nice Yug'. I got the biggest dressing down from Kaiba about my attitude. Sheesh he pisses me off. But he was right. That wasn't the place to lose my head."

"When did you talk to Kaiba?" said Yuugi, surprised.

"This morning." Said Jou, his expression tightening. "Had to make sure he wasn't going to sue me after reading that article. Stupid git."

Yuugi blinked at the abnormal reaction. It wasn't unusual for Jou to mouth off about Kaiba, but it usually included more colorful abuse vehemently declared for all those around to hear. This reaction was too subdued. She wondered what exactly their conversation had entailed.

"Don't worry about it." Said Yuugi, shaking her head. "With everything else that happened, it had completely left my mind. And as I said, I was just glad you were there to support me." Plus she needed to get over the prying judging eyes of the crowd. They would always be there, and dwelling on every little thing was likely to drive her insane.

Jou's shoulders relaxed, his expression clearing. It was evident the guilt had been bugging him.

"Thanks Yuug'." He said holding up a fist.

Yuugi bumped it with her own fist, grinning.

* * *

Yuugi knocked on the door frame of the bathroom where Yami was currently brushing his teeth. He paused, looking in the mirror at her reflection.

"I'm heading to bed." Said Yuugi. She was already dressed in her light blue pajamas, feeling tired from the day's events.

Yami nodded, continuing the brush.

Yuugi lingered by the door frame, reluctant to leave Yami's presence. It had been such an emotionally draining day, what with the article, talking to Izumi and learning her friend was getting married. As much as she loved Ryou and Bakura, it had been hard to stay cheerful when her own predicament kept looming over her head. Little things had kept reminding her about it, renewing the churn of shame in her stomach. Having her friends there had helped, but it hadn't erased everything. Not by a long shot.

"Hey."

Yami smooth voice made her look up. He was placing his toothbrush in the holder, looking at her in the mirror. His crimson eyes were fixed on her, watching. Then she noticed her own expression reflected there in the mirror. Eyes dead, worry written plainly by the lines creasing her face. She looked as small as she felt.

Yami turned around, walking the two steps to stand in front of her. She kept her eyes level, not wanting to look at him in the face. Then she leaned forward, letting her face thump into his chest as she closed her eyes.

Yami wrapped his arms around her, one hand running slowly thought her hair. She felt him kiss the top of her head as he murmured. "You'll feel much better in the morning."

"I know." Grumbled Yuugi. "I just need a moment."

"Of course."

They stood there in the hall for a few minutes, Yuugi seeking comfort in Yami's embrace. He continued to run his fingers through her hair, slowly and methodically. With her ear against his chest, she could hear his heartbeat, thumping steady alongside her own.

"I can't believe Bakura asked Ryou to marry him." Said Yuugi, still buried in Yami. "I mean this is Bakura we're talking about. It's so sudden."

Yami replied with a hum, still running his fingers through her hair. Yuugi continued, letting her thoughts run freely out of her mouth.

"I knew they were serious, but I didn't realize how serious it was. Ryou's not even eighteen yet. Not that I'm doubting my friend's decision, but isn't that young to get married? Marrying someone is a big deal. At least I still think it's a big deal. Forget divorce, it sucks and should be kicked in the shins. Though there are couples that just fall apart and it needs to happen but it still sucks. I don't want that to happen to Ryou."

"You're worried that Bakura isn't serious about this?" said Yami.

Yuugi paused.

"I'm not sure." Said Yuugi. "I mean, Bakura doesn't seem like the type to marry. It's out of character."

"Did you talk to Ryou about your concerns?"

"Didn't get to it. They left before I could corner her privately."

They fell silent again.

Yuugi let her thoughts roam, not concentrating on anything specific. There was too much she wanted to worry about. It was near the point where she was apathetic, too tired out to summon the energy to care. It was probably because of those feeling that the next things fell from her mouth before she could stop herself.

"Would you ever want to get married?"

Yami's hand in her hair paused. It took a second for Yuugi to connect what she just said with reason.

Her face erupted into a violent blush, and she pulled her head back, eyes wide and horrified. It didn't help that Yami looked completely calm, smiling at her with a twinkle in his eye. She knew that look.

"Don't you dare." Said Yuugi.

His smile just widened.

"Why Yuugi, are you proposing to me?" said Yami. She could hear the laughter in his voice.

She groaned, shooting him a glare. The heat was completely ruined by her own warm cheek.

"You know that's not what I meant." she said, the warning in her voice. He ignored it.

"I didn't realize you were so bold-"

"Yami!"

"-but if it's what you want dear, I accept." Said Yami, positively grinning at this point. Yuugi let out something between the growl and a hiss, giving him a shove. His quick reflexes caught Yuugi's wrist, spinning her around and pulling her back into his arms. She gave an annoyed huff, turning away from Yami's face, which in this position was cheek to cheek with her own. He wasn't deterred, humming happily due to the person captured in his arms.

"You enjoy teasing me, don't you?" said Yuugi.

"You make it all too easy Love." Said Yami, the smile still in his voice.

A new wave of squeamish delight went through Yuugi at the nick name. Such a simple word to say. Love. Yet the meaning behind it went beyond it's simple construction. It conveyed something deeper, the emotional connection and trust between them.

She couldn't stop the stupid grin spreading on her face. Her eyes closed, and she leaned her head back to rest in the crook of his neck.

"You know, it was a serious question." She said quietly. Marriage was something most girls dreamed of. Yuugi had yet to meet one whose eyes wouldn't start sparkling at the mention of the wedding dress, but Yuugi had no idea what Yami's thoughts were on the subject. Yuugi herself hadn't put much thought into it. Not until she had seen Ryou's ring, excluding the one brief fantasy she'd indulged while they were with Kisara's son. Was that something Yami wanted as well? A family and a wife?

She felt Yami's arm shift, one of his hands coming up to carefully tilt her head. His lips were against her neck, pressing in a soft slow kiss. Immediately her senses were flooded with information, on the brink of overheating. The place where his lips had touched was burning.

"Y-Yami?" she gasped, not ready for the physical expression of his emotions. Another kiss followed the first, this one higher towards her jaw line. The other hand not cradling her face was now at the edge of her shirt, his skin brushing against her exposed stomach. He hummed against her cheek, the sound deep and full of emotion.

"Now you're the one teasing me." He muttered, nuzzling his face into her hair.

It was too much. Yuugi had too many emotions running through her that day, and this wasn't helping. She couldn't handle the over stimulation. While a portion of her was enjoying this attention, the loving way Yami was tenderly touching her, she couldn't do it. Her voice was gone, body stiff as she desperately tried to think of a way to push him away without hurting him. Without making him misunderstand.

Yami stopped.

He pulled away, and Yuugi was left, feeling slightly dazed at the sudden retreat. It was cold without Yami's warmth. She was confused and felt more than a little let down. Which was stupid since she had wanted him to stop in the first place.

Yuugi turned, wanting to understand.

Yami hadn't gone far. He was still within an inch from her, the desire still obvious in his eyes, but it was overshadowed to Yuugi by the smidgen of panic was written in his stance As if he might bolt any second.

"Sorry." He said. "I think I'm going to go to bed."

Before Yuugi could say anything, he placed a tender hand against her face, a thumb brushing her cheek. Then he turned and walked away from her, going into the spare bedroom. The room he had been sleeping in ever since Yuugi had emerged.

Yuugi ran a hand through her hair, now frustrated with both herself and Yami on top of everything. What a mess.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **And thank you** **those that took the time to leave me a review!** **whitlaw123, Guildsnake, walt disney and anime, Unitato722, personumberone, Guest, Mistoka, kaitenzero, , Hiei Dragon Girl, Kayla Wood, rutilus rose, ForeverWildfire2.0, justsomeoe, and guest #2! Some of your reviews cracked me up. XD**

 **Gah, it has been a year! That's not okay, I was supposed to finish this a long time ago. Oh well. Happy one year! :D Many of you have been with me for most of this long adventure and I have to say, it's been your support/review/pm's that have helped to create this story. It as as much yours as it is mine. So thank you!**

 **Guest, I don't know how many more chapters I have planned for this as it never had a very concrete outline. But we are on the last arc. Yay.**

 **Mistoka, hahahahahahahaha. That's all I have to say. :) Guest, unfortunately, there are no more Yami chapters planned. Its too much work to rewrite the entire story from another point of view, and I'm running out of steam as it is. I just want to write my other story but I have to finish this one!**

 **kaitenzero: Tall drink of water is a term meaning someone is appealing and desirable. Because there's nothing more desirable and appealing on a hot day than a tall drink of water. At least, I believe that's the idea the term originated from. I do live in the south guys, so maybe it's a thing down here.**


	97. Chapter 97

Chapter 97

"Bye gramps!" Yuugi called to her grandpa. She hurried to meet up with Yami, who was standing by the door. Gramps stuck his head in the hall, giving a hearty wave.

"Remember, don't let that article bother you anymore." He said.

Yuugi smiled, giving a wave. "I know, I know. Bye bye."

Yami gave gramps a nod, and the two of them were off to school.

Yugi walked close by Yami, hands gripping the shoulder strap of her backpack. She'd managed to sleep well enough last night, but she had stayed up for a while thinking about yesterday. Some of what caused her insomnia was the article, but most of her worries were related to the man walking beside her. About the moment between them in the hall last night.

That was the second time Yami had become more physically affectionate with her, the mood slowly leading to something more intimate. Both times, Yuugi had rejected him, one with sheer force and a good thunk on the head. The other, he'd noticed her distress and backed off himself.

And Yuugi felt bad about it.

Sure, she loved Yami. Couldn't imagine a future without him, but she wasn't mentally prepared for that step in the relationship. It was too embarrassing! Especially when she considered she was a girl now. Her role in that type of thing would be a little different than what it previously would have been.

For a couple seconds, her imagination supplied her with different images. Her face erupted into a blush, and she shook her head quickly to rid them from her head.

No! It was too much, she wasn't ready for that, but… was Yami alright with that? Really, truly alright with that? Was he even okay with her being a girl now? He'd liked her back as a male… so did that mean it didn't matter to Yami?

She peaked at him under her bangs, watching him walk beside her. He looked normal, nothing in his expression or demeanor that suggested anything unusual. Red, steadfast eyes looking forward, always moving with purpose. Yami was someone that exuded confidence. So those few glimpses where she had seen him hesitate from fear stood out with sharp distinction in her mind. Much like yesterday after she had rejected him again.

She imagined the same thing happening to her. When she had been such a mess just wondering if Yami wanted to kiss her. She imagined Yami backing away from her, or flinching back in fear.

Her stomach dropped, a horrible feeling of rejection piercing her. It made her want to shy away and crawl into a corner, never to return. And this was just her imagination! Had she made Yami feel like this for rejecting him last night?

Yuugi couldn't help it. She reached for Yami's hand, craving comfort. To know that despite her thoughtlessness, he still cared about her. Her hand found his, and she gripped it tightly, eyes on the ground.

Their hands shifted, and Yami laced the fingers together, giving her hand a squeeze. She looked up. His face was still forward, but his eyes were focused on her, smiling warmly.

"Don't worry." Said Yami. "If anyone says anything about that article, I'm here. And so are all your friends. We're here to support you."

Yuugi's heart sank and leapt all at once. Here he was, worried for her and possibly giving up everything while she was being so selfish. It couldn't be easy holding back. She remembered those urges as a man, different yet similar than those she experienced as a woman. Why did she have to be so squeamish when it came to anything past first base?

That was it. Yuugi was determined not to reject him next time. It was ridiculous. She was a man wasn't she? Kind of?

Yuugi's mouth drew into a line of determination. "Thank you Yami." She said. "Really, thank you."

She missed the slightly confused look from Yami as she kept walking, strengthening the resolve in her heart.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **And thank you for your support my wonderful lovlies! whitlaw123, shadowfox777, ForeverWildfire2.0, personumberone, Mistoka, Blutkatze, and Phoenix Flametail.**

 **No, I do NOT write Lemons/whatever that stuff is.** **If** **they do end up having sex, it will be off screen. But the physical aspect of a relationship is the next step, so it makes sense that there would be conflict about it.  
**


	98. Chapter 98

Chapter 98

There were never a scarce number of things to talk about at Domino high school. Gossip on love lives between students was normal, as were quarrels with teachers who caused as much trouble as the kids. Then there were always rumors about Yuugi's scandalous relationship with Yami.

The article had managed to make it into a few hands. That of course would change by third period, people enjoying a good gossip and spreading the news via text or word of mouth. Especially about the famous Yami Sennen being taken to a police station. What a juicy piece of gossip that would be.

It was almost overlooked however, by an even stranger sight. Seto Kaiba stepping out of his limo, closely followed by Jounouchi Katsuya.

Yuugi had been standing by the entrance with Yami, waiting for Jou after receiving a text from him to do so. Her mouth had nearly hit the floor when she'd seen his blonde hair emerge, quarreling with Kaiba like usual. The two were bickering back and forth in quick succession, their attention focused solely on each other.

Yami nudged her, and she glanced at him. He pointed at his own mouth, giving her a wink. Yuugi shut her mouth, her surprise forming into delight. It looked like the two were finally starting to get closer after all that fighting. Well, they were still fighting but at least they weren't coming to blows like they usually did.

Jou finally spotted Yuugi, quickly marching away from Kaiba with a determined look on his face. Kaiba watched Jou go for a moment with a particular look on his face before striding into the school.

Jou raised a hand in greeting. "Morning you two."

"Morning." Said Yuugi, smiling. "Since when were you and Kaiba on such good terms?"

Jou snorted. "There isn't anyone on good terms with Kaiba, 'cept his little brother."

"But he let you ride in the car with him. That has to say something."

"It says he's an egotistical jerk." Said Jou. "He was mocking me the whole way, anyway. Here, I wanted to give this to you."

Jou handed Yuugi an envelope. Yuugi took it, not looking at it yet.

"You know Jou, I'm your good friend and you can tell me anything." Said Yuugi, smiling.

Jou scowled. "If the two of you don't get those stupid grins off your faces I'm going to lock Yuugi in the shed."

"Why do I have to be locked in the shed?" said Yuugi.

"If you touch Yuugi I will murder you." Said Yami lightly, still smiling.

"Unless you actually want us to lock you and Kaiba in the shed." Said Yuugi, eyes brightening.

"NO!" yelled Jou, running a hand down his face. "Look, can we forget about the fact dat I rode with Kaiba to school today? I'm already trying to burn the memory from my mind."

"Never." Said Yuugi and Yami in perfect tandem.

Jou looked like he wanted to argue for another moment, but then just gave up. "Fine, I just wanted to give you that invitation. I talked to Kaiba and he said it would be a good party for yah to go to change your reputation. It's at Kaiba's mansion and there will be TV reporters there doin' brief interviews with people they meet. Should be a great place to clear up some things."

"I know the party you're talking about." Said Yami, holding out his hand for the invitation. Yuugi gave it to him, and he deftly opened the letter looking at it. "Kaiba holds it every year. As an end of the year winter bash. There are all sorts of people there. Businessmen, actors, politicians. It's a huge deal."

"Exactly." Said Jou. "Should be perfect for yah."

It sounded perfect. A second chance to give a good impression and change some opinions. Hopefully she could clear up all the bad rumors as well.

"Thank Jou." Said Yuugi happily. "If you ever need to use me as an excuse to talk to Kaiba again, I don't mind."

Jou's face turned red. "Stop it!"

* * *

"Yuugi, what's up with that article?"

Yuugi was sitting at her desk, Miho walking over and siting in an empty seat near Yuugi to talk to her. A few of the other classmates turned in their seats to listen, curious about the gossip. It was near the end of class, and the teacher was done trying to keep them entertained- educated! Educate them for the period. They were free to converse as long as they weren't too noisy.

"You saw that?" said Yuugi, already wilting. Oh dear, it was only first period and people were already asking her about the article. It had spread more quickly than she expected. Yami was sitting in the seat next to her, putting down his pencil as he listened to the exchange.

"I did, and it's complete crap!" said Miho, pointing at Yami. "Everyone in school knows you were chasing after Yuugi, not the other way around. Yuugi would never date someone because of their money, and you two are probably the last people I know to be involved with any crap with the law. Why haven't you sued the paper for making up those lies?"

Yuugi relaxed, noticing that the expressions on those close by. They appeared to have the same opinion as Miho, making similar comments about the crazy article. Thank goodness.

"We're working on getting it taken care of." Said Yami. "But it's the internet. It would be hard to get rid of it completely and the damage to our reputation has already been done. It's not the first time lies have been posted about me or my family and it won't be the last."

Miho grimaced, "That's terrible. I didn't realize being rich and famous could be so annoying."

"You don't know the half of it." Said Yami.

"Because having so much money is such a chore." Said another in the group, "Poor you!"

Yuugi smiled as the group harassed Yami for being rich, glad that her classmates didn't believe the article. As the group asked them more questions, Yuugi glanced around the room and noticed someone watching her closely. When she caught their eye, they rolled them in apparent disgust, going back to their homework.

Apparently not all her classmates believed her over the article.

* * *

On the scale of one to disastrous, the day hadn't been all that bad. The only people that had harassed her were the people that had been hostile from the start. Angry rich females that thought they deserved to be Yami's girlfriend. That, and people who just wanted to look down on others to feel better about themselves.

Yuugi, Yami and Marik were walking home, the last two in the middle of a very important argument: Bakrua's bachelor party.

"We have to have strippers." Said Marik. "It's a bachelor party!"

"I'm not paying to have strippers come to the house." Said Yami. "If you want to do it, fine, but don't expect me to participate."

"What if the stripper we hired was Yuugi, would you come then?"

Yuugi's eyes widened, cheeks on fire. It was a good thing she was walking a little ahead of them so Yami didn't see her reaction. It also served against her as she didn't see Yami's either. She only heard his silence.

"You'd like that wouldn't you Yami?" said Marik, "You could get a personal lap dance and everything."

"Shut up." Said Yami, and it sounded like Yami had shoved Marik. The guy cackled, jogging in the street ahead of them before getting back on the side walk. He started walking backwards, facing them as he leered.

"It will be perfect." Said Marik. "You get Yuugi, and I'll get Mal. Maybe we could put Jou in one of those furry costumes for Kaiba. I bet he's into that. Is Kaiba even invited?"

"No strippers." Said Yami firmly. "Or else I'll stick Ryou on you when she learns you hired some."

Marik's eyes flashed in glee. "What if we brought Ryou as well? Have one big orgy!"

"OH MY GOSH!" said Yuugi, completely done with this conversation. "Would you stop?" She couldn't look Yami in the eye. Her own were decidedly forward.

"Aw, Yuugi's embarrassed." Said Marik. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'd make a very nice stripper. If flat chested midgets are Yami's thing."

"Marik!" said Yami, taking long strides towards Marik. The man seemed to realized he had stepped on a land mind and hurriedly began backing away. He was still grinning however, encouraged more than anything at Yami's behavior.

Then Marik's eyes slid away from Yami, his grin dropping. He appeared to be focused on a passing car. Yami noticed it as well, turning quickly to Yuugi. Before Yami could say anything or take a step towards Yuugi, someone from the window of the car yelled at them.

"Hey freak!"

By instinct Yuugi looked as well.

It was the wrong thing to do.

She was pelted by what appeared to be several water balloons. Yuugi cried out in shock, throwing up her arms to defend herself. She didn't get them up before one exploded right in her face.

The substance burned!

Yuugi pressed her hands against her eyes, crying out in pain. She was soaked from head to foot in something cold, the liquid also filling her mouth and nose. The smell was overwhelming, and she recognized it as paint. She spat at the ground, trying to get the metallic taste out of her mouth.

Riotous laughter sounded from her left, and she heard to roar of the engine as it sped off, the men in the car yelling and laughing at her.

"You bastards!" she heard Marik yelling. "I'll kill you all! Comeback and fight you douchebags!"

Yuugi pressed her hands harder against her face, eyes overflowing with tears to wash the paint from her eyes. It burned so much! What the heck kind of paint was this?

She felt someone grab her shoulders.

"Yuugi, are you alright?" she could hear the concern in Yami's gentle voice.

Yuugi shook her head, crying from the pain and surprise. "It burns."

"Shoot Yuugi, you've shivering."

Indeed she was. Yuugi didn't even realize it until Yami had said it. The paint felt more like water in the way it had seeping into her clothes. Maybe they had thrown both.

She felt Yami unzipping her coat and tugging it off her arms. She was confused why he was doing that until a second she heard more rustling, and then a warm dry fabric was placed over her shoulders. Yami had given her his coat.

"Yami, you're going to get cold." She said, trying to refuse the jacket, but Yami took a firm grip on the material, forcing it on her.

"I'm not the one soaking wet." Said Yami.

Someone snorted. "That's what she said."

"Shut up Marik!"

Yami's hands were rubbing up and down her arms, trying to get some heat back into her limbs.

"Can you open your eyes?" he said.

Yuugi shook her head, choking back a sob.

"It smells like oil paint." Said Marik with a sniff. "That stuff can't be good for the eyes, she needs to wash it out as soon as possible. We can go to Jou's place. It's close by."

"I know someone that's closer."

Yami took one of Yuugi's hands, his other arm wrapped around her waist. "I'll help you. You can keep your eyes shut, but don't rub them."

Yuugi nodded, shivering and crying as she squeezed Yami's hand, completely relying on him to lead her.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **And I would like to take this moment to give thanks to those that reviewed this latest chapter: Majestic geek, justsomeone, personumberone, Shadowfox777, ForeverWildfire2.0, Mistoka, and whitlaw123. Thank you for your continued support! Seriously... thank you. XD  
**

 **Ouch, poor Yuugi. I'm such a mean author.**


	99. Chapter 99

Chapter 99

Yuugi was mostly blind as she walked, her eyes watering continually in an attempt to wash the substance from her eyes. It hurt a lot less than it initially had, but she couldn't keep her eyes open for long. She was shaking uncontrollably, teeth chattering as the cold air seeped into her bones.

"We're almost there." Said Yami. It had only been a few minutes. Whoever they were going to see must be close.

They turned, Yami telling her to watch for the step. They stopped and she heard the urgent pounding of Yami knocking on the door. It opened a second later, and a glorious wave of heated air hit her.

"Yami?" said a female voice. "What are you-"

"We need to use your sink." Said Yami, and Yuugi was pushed forward. Her feet met carpeting, taking a few turns before the floor changed to a hard tile.

"You're getting crap all over my floor!" said the female voice. It sounded familiar but Yuugi couldn't place it. She stopped, then heard the sink being turned on.

"Here." Said Yami, guiding her hand to where the water was running. "Keep your eyes open and wash them out."

Yuugi reached forward, blinking and struggling. She grabbed what she assumed was the lip of the sink, standing on her toes to get her face close enough to the stream of running water. Hands ran through her hair as Yami pulled it back for her.

It took a couple tries, but she was finally able to put her eyes in the direct stream of the water, doing her best to keep them open. It was such a weird sensation. She could hear the woman behind them, ordering around Marik.

"Marik, help me and get some towels. Not those you idiot those are my nice towels. This is going to stain everything. I just washed the carpets."

"Sorry Mana." Said Yami. "You were the closest person I could think of and she needed to wash her eyes out as soon as possible."

That's whose house this was! Now Yuugi could place the lower brash tone of Mana. It was somewhat hard to hear over the rushing of the water, but Mana's voice carried over the white noise.

"You're paying for anything you ruined." Said Mana. "What the heck happened anyway? You guys play some paintball without masks on?"

Marik barked a laugh. "Do you think his highness would let his princess do anything without proper gear?"

The pain was lessening. She kept her eyes under the water, placing a hand under her neck to support its awkward tilted angle. This was not the most comfortable position, but she knew how important it was to get everything out of her eyes.

"Some guys riding by in a car did this." said Yami. She felt him readjusting this position holding her hair, bunching it and gathering the loose ends to keep them out of the water. "Me and Marik weren't nearby. They pelted her and then took off."

"Shoot that sucks. Did you get the license plate number at least?"

"The plate was covered, trust me I looked, but I got a good shot of the car." Said Marik.

There was a pause, and she assumed Marik was showing Mana the picture on the phone. Yuugi pulled away from the water, her neck stiff from holding the position.

"You should keep washing your eyes." Said Yami.

"Just switching sides." Said Yuugi, turning her head the other way and going back under the water. "Ugh, I didn't even know paint stung this bad. The hell."

"You weren't just hit with paint." Said Yami. "You've got water, egg, some honey, and it smells like vinegar as well. Who knows what else were in those balloons."

Even with the water running, Yuugi could hear the suppressed anger in Yami's voice. Like rolling thunder far off in the distance, promising a storm of destruction on its arrival. If she wasn't already shivering, she would have from his tone.

She heard the click of feet over the tile as someone approached.

"It would be best to get you washed up as soon as possible." Said Mana. "I can lend you some clothes to change into. You on the other hand, will have to deal with whatever you got from getting close to her."

"Thanks Mana." Said Yami.

There was a short pause where the rushing of the running water was the only sound.

"I'll go get those clothes then." Said Mana, sounding uncomfortable. "Keep washing out your eyes, you'll want to stay there for at least ten minutes."

There was the clack of her feet as it slowly disappeared into another room.

Yuugi readjusted herself under the sink again, trying to get a more comfortable angle.

"Is Mana mad at us for making a mess in her house?" said Yuugi, wincing at the water. "She sounded less energetic."

"She's fine." Said Yami in the dismissive way he used when he didn't want to talk about something. Which meant Mana was acting strange and Yami knew why.

"Maybe she's got a guilty conscious." Said Marik.

"Guilty conscious?" said Yuugi, slowly connecting what Marik had implied. "You're thinking she's the one that gave the press the recording?"

"It would make sense." Said Marik.

Neither Yuugi or Yami answered. She assumed much like herself, Yami suspected that Mana might have had something to do with the article. Though Yuugi hated suspecting her friends, there had been things in that article that were almost direct quotes from the interview she and Yami had done together. The only problem was that it didn't make sense. Mana knew a lot of information about Kisara that she had never shared. Why would she rat out Yuugi but keep Kisara's secrets? Unless she only cared about her close friends and Yuugi was just another piece of gossip for her to use in her career.

Yuugi heard Mana return, walking over to them.

"I put the clothes in the bathroom." Said Mana. "You can take a shower, but _please_ try and keep all this crap off of anything that can stain."

"Sure, thanks." Said Yuugi. She blindly reached up, turning off the tap and removing her self form the sink. She had to take a second to balance herself from the head rush, blinking hard to rid the water from her eyes. Everything was slightly blurry, but she could keep her eyes open.

"It's this way." Said the blurry form of Mana. Yuugi followed the woman, stepping on towels. "You can use any of the bottles in the bathtub that you want."

"Thank you." Said Yuugi again before walking into bathroom and closing the door. She heard Mana walk away on the other side, no doubt going to berate Yami some more for making a mess.

With shaking fingers, Yuugi quickly undressed, throwing her clothes into a separate pile by the bathtub. Now that she was paying attention, she could feel the assortment of different things dripping from her. The honey had hit her skirt and the egg had gotten into her hair. Paint was universally everywhere, as was water. Well that uniform was completely trashed.

Yuugi turned on the shower, waiting a few minutes for it to get warm before stepping into the stream of water. The second it hit her shivering body, she let out a sigh of happiness. That felt much better already.

As Yuugi did her bet to wash herself down, she couldn't help thinking about Mana. About her suspicions that Mana had betrayed them. Something didn't feel right. Yuugi couldn't reconcile the idea of Mana betraying them. Not without incentive at least. Had it been a bribe, or blackmail?

Or was she completely wrong and Mana wasn't the person Yuugi thought she was.

Annoyed with herself, Yuugi shut off the water, as clean as she was going to get at the moment. She didn't want Marik and Yami waiting too long.

She quickly pulled on the slightly too big sweats and long sleeve shirt that Mana had given her. There was even a coat and scarf. As Yuugi grabbed these and left the bathroom, she couldn't help feeling guilty for suspecting Mana after she had helped Yuugi during this disaster.

With this feeling, Yuugi walked into the living room. Mana and Yami were sitting on different couches, Marik standing by the window. There were a couple splotches of paint on Yami's arm and shoulder, green staining one of his bangs. He must have gotten that from helping Yuugi walk. The atmosphere was somehow strained, thick with tension. Yuugi cleared her throat to announce her presence. They all looked up at her.

"My clothes are still in the bathroom." Said Yuugi, nervously. What was with this mood? "I wasn't sure what to do with them…"

"I'll get you a bag." Said Mana, quickly getting up. She walked to her kitchen, pulling out a trash bag before going back into the bathroom. A moment later she returned with the plastic bag tied at the top and holding her clothes.

"Thanks." Said Yuugi, taking the clothes from her. "And Sorry for the mess. You really saved me."

Mana grimaced, not looking at Yuugi as she replied. "Sure thing kid. Just bring that jacket back when you can, it's one of my favorites."

"I'll pay for anything that was ruined." Said Yami, coming up next to Yuugi.

Mana waved hand. "Don't worry about it. A little staining doesn't depreciate the values of these things. I'll get it cleaned up in no time."

"I wish you good luck with that." Said Yami.

"And I wish you the same with your stain removal." Said Mana, definitely not looking at them.

"Well, it was fun!" said Mairk sarcastically, making his way to the door. "But I don't want to be here a second more than I have to."

Yuugi blinked at the rudeness in Marik's voice as he left without a word of thanks.

"Um, see you later." Said Yuugi, giving a nervous wave to Mana. The woman walked them out the the door, closing it behind Yuugi and Yami as they left.

"How are your eyes?" said Yami, the second the door had closed.

"Fine." Said Yuugi, pulling up the hood of her borrowed coat. Her hair was still fairly wet, so she bunched it up under the hood. She would have asked to dry it but thought better after seeing the tense atmosphere of the room. "Things are still a little blurry but most of thing stinging is gone."

"We should still have a specialist look at them." Said Yami. "We'll get home and change before going."

"And get you cleaned off." Said Yuugi, poking Yami's face. "You've got paint on you still."

Yami gave a small smile, catching her hand and sliding it into hers. Marik was far ahead of them on the sidewalk, walking quickly as if he wanted to be away from them as fast as possible.

"Why was Marik being so rude?" said Yuugi, nodding towards the retreating back in front of them. "Does he really think Mana sold us out?"

"He doesn't think." Said Yami. "He knows. Mana admitted to it while you were in the shower."

"Oh…"

Yuugi didn't speak, feeling the uncomfortable ache of betrayal. She had been right. Mana had betrayed them. It didn't mean Yuugi was happy about being right. It hurt more than she would have expected.

"Did she say why?"

"Does there have to be a reason?" said Yami. "She's a reporter. It was a good story, there was no reason for her not to post it."

"But it wasn't the true story." Said Yuugi. "You said she was one of the few reporters with integrity, and she hadn't ratted out Kisara on anything. Why would she give do that to us?"

"She didn't write the article, she just provided the recording." Said Yami. "That's enough for me."

Yami was pissed. Yuugi could already tell he had marked Mana on his list of 'nonredeemable people' in his mind. Right next to Ushio and his mother.

Yuugi tugged on the coat Mana had given Yuugi. The coat she had lent freely and without being asked. It didn't make sense. Why would Mana betray them and then help them?

Then the answer came. Simply and blaring like a fire truck. It was all related to the person who had gotten the article published in the first place. The same person Yuugi suspected was involved in her getting pummeled by paint and water balloons.

Vivian Wong was fulling her promise to make Yuugi pay.

* * *

 **Happy Thanksgiving American readers!**

 **Oh my gosh Fine! Due to popular demand, I will do another Yami POV chapter. Yes yay, but here's the catch. I will only do five scenes. You guys get to vote on which five scenes you want to see from chapter 62 onward. I say** ** scenes,** **and** **not chapters** **. Write them in the reviews or pm me it doesn't matter. I'll add the POV chapter once I see a good break to stick it in there.**

 **If I didn't love you guys so much I might throttle you all. Why do I feel like Yami when he's dealing with Marik? No one listens to meeee. lol**

 **As always, thanks to the wonderful peeps that took the time to review. Adalant Kuygetsa, whitlaw123, Guest, Mistoka, Blutkatze, Guildsnake, Hiei Dragon Girl, SkyNakama27, guest 2, personumberone, and kawaiipotato! I really can't thank ya'll enough. It's super exciting to see what you guys like or dislike about the story, or even just sharing your thoughts about a circumstance. Yay.  
**


	100. Chapter 100

**Chapter 100**

 **Below includes a brief Flashback of the last chapter.**

 **Note: this is not counted in the five Yami scenes you all voted on. It's just to shed some light on what happened.**

* * *

"Here."

Yami took the towel offered from Mana, setting it on the couch before sitting on it. The woman had a lot of extra towels, though most appeared to be beach towels based on the spectacular designs on the fabric.

"Sorry again for the mess." Said Yami.

"Don't worry about it." Said Mana. She pulled out some cleaning supplies form under the sink, spraying the substance over the mess on the floor. "My cousins track in mud all the time. Though this is the first time I'm having to clean up paint."

"Here let me help." Said Yami, moving to help her clean, but Mana waved him away.

"Just sit tight and wait for your girlfriend to get out of the shower."

Reluctantly, Yami returned to his seat on the couch. He used another towel to clean off what he could from his uniform. The thing would most likely have to be thrown out anyway, but it was something to do. Marik was standing by the window, as if he didn't want to be here at all.

Yami couldn't blame him. Both he and Mairk were almost certain that Mana's interview was the recording the papers had used. There was information in the article that had been stated in the interview. But this was the closest place Yami could think of after Yuugi had been hit and he didn't care if it was awkward. It was better than Yuugi possibly having permanent damage to her eyes from whatever had been thrown at her.

Mana finished cleaning the carpets, throwing the soiled rags into a bin.

"There." Said Mana with annoyance. "Stupid kids. Who still eggs people nowadays?"

"Are you going to take a picture of this as well?" said Marik. "Sell it to the papers like you did last time?"

Yami shot Marik a look, one his adopted brother ignored. Mana raised an eyebrow to Marik.

"And what's that supposed to imply?" said Mana.

Marik rolled his eyes. "Don't play innocent. We know that the papers got a hold of a recording, courtesy of the Wong family. And wasn't there only one reporter that recorded an interview with Yami and Yuugi? It doesn't take a genius to put two and two together."

"Marik." said Yami, a warning in his voice.

"Just leave him." Said Mana with a sigh. "He's right anyway. I did give the Wongs the recording."

Yami's stared. A part of him hadn't believed his suspicions so her sudden confession caught him off guard. His insides immediately became warm, anger starting to form. He could see Yuugi's crying face in his head, miserable and upset. It had been a long time since he had seen her cry like that. The sight made his heart hurt, simultaneously in anger for those that had hurt her, and cry in sympathy for his beloved's distress. And it was Mana who had allowed that to happen with her betrayal.

"Why?" said Yami, the anger lowering his voice.

Mana shot him a glance, and if Yami were calmer he would have acknowledged the guilt in Mana's expression. Instead, all he saw was his memory of Yuugi being pelted by balloons in the street.

"I have my reasons." Said Mana. "Look, I didn't write the article, I just gave them the recording."

"So that magically absolves you from taking any blame." Said Marik. "Such a convenient way to keep your hands clean. It's no wonder you can sleep at night."

Mana shot to her feet. Her jaw was clenched, head held high and eyes shining with emotion. She looked as if she were trying to speak but couldn't find the words.

"What's that? No come back?" said Marik, mockingly putting a hand to his ear. "That's what I thought."

"This isn't what I expected it to be used for." Said Mana, angry. "I regret giving her the tape but what's done is done. There's no point in making it worse."

"You can say that because it's not your reputation being tarnished." Said Marik. "In case you didn't notice, little Yuugi is taking a beating from it."

Mana hesitated, still angry and defensive. Her eyes flickered to Yami, who stayed silent. He wouldn't even know where to start if he opened his mouth. Mana seemed to recognize this as she looked away.

"I suggest you don't come to me for help again." Said Mana, bitterness lacing her voice. "I can't guarantee none of this won't be made into a story. It's best if you were to stay away."

Mana walked to the other couch, sitting down with legs and arms crossed. The room stayed silent for the next five minutes as they waited for Yuugi to get out of the shower. In those five minutes, Yami was thinking of what to do next to make sure this never happened to Yuugi again.

* * *

The picture was in color, probably done with one of those high-tech fancy cameras where every detail was captured in exaggerated perfection. Because of this, it was easy to make out the different gunk layering Yuugi in the image. She looked a horrible mess.

The picture was taken from the side, Yuugi closest to the camera. One of her hands was over her face, eyes closed and covered almost completely in paint. She was drowning in Yami's coat, the man walking alongside her. The image perfectly captured the distress in Yami's every expression, from the arm drawing her closer, to the worried expression on his face as he glanced back at her. His face was usually so unexpressive, but there was no mistaking the emotion overflowing from Yami's eyes.

She stared at it, trying to determine how she felt. A part of her was humiliated. The picture was accompanied by another article that gave an exaggerated account of Yuugi being bullied after the previous article. It sucked being bullied, but it sucked even more having the whole world know about it. Yuugi should feel angry, but instead she just grinned at the picture.

"I don't understand you." Said Yami.

Yuugi looked up from her phone, smiling at her boyfriend who was currently finishing up dinner. Yuugi leaned against the counter as she looked back at the picture.

"I'm trying to look at this in a positive light." Said Yuugi, setting down the phone. "At least anyone that looks at this won't think you don't care."

"It makes it appear that everyone is against the relationship." Said Yami, angry. "We're never going back to Mana's house again. That woman…"

"This was taken before we got to Mana's house." Said Yuugi, tapping the screen. "Which means she had nothing to do with it. This was probably set up by Vivian, who probably blackmailed Mana into giving out the recording in the first place. I still think she's a victim as much as we are."

Yami gave a hum, indicating he didn't agree but didn't want to fight about it.

Yuugi walked around the counter, grabbing Yami in a side hug and giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks for worrying." Said Yuugi. "But this article doesn't bother me."

"Only because we saw it coming." Said Yami, smiling despite his annoyance.

"And since when could you predict the future?"

Yami gave a smirk, and Yuugi broke the hug to poke him in the side. He jerked, nearly spilling the bag of lettuce he had pulled from the refrigerator.

"I'll go tell gramps dinner is almost ready." Said Yuugi.

Yuugi nearly skipped to the store, feeling lighter than she had expected. She should have been more upset about the newest article meant to bash her image, but she just couldn't. This one was mostly true, and Yuugi had no reason to be ashamed of who she was or what had happened to her. Maybe that was why it hadn't bothered her as much as the other one.

As she reached the door separating the house from the store, she heard gramps talking on the other end. She assumed he was with a customer and was quiet as she pushed the door open.

It wasn't with a customer. He was on the phone and computer simultaneously, talking to the person on the other side of the call.

"Yes I see it. And you're sure there's nothing I can do about it? No. No, thank you very much. I understand. Goodbye."

Gramps hung up the phone, then gave a long sigh. The seat creaked as he leaned an elbow on the desk, clicking through the computer.

"Gramps?" said Yuugi.

Gramps turned quickly, the swiveling chair overturning in his haste to spin around.

"Yuugi, you surprised me." Said gramps, placing a hand on his chest as he let out a shaky laugh. "Quiet as a mouse you are."

"Sorry about that." Said Yuugi, walking towards him. She tried to subtly look at the computer, but gramps hit a button on the keyboard that turned the screen off. She raised an eyebrow at him. "Who were you on the phone with?"

"Just some people." said gramps.

"Uh huh." Said Yuugi. "And you're so eager to hide the computer screen from me because…?"

"It's the finances." He scoffed. "You don't need to look at that. You're still a kid."

"Right… well dinner is almost ready. Yami is finishing up the salad and then we can all eat."

"Oh, that's great..." said gramps, trailing off. Yuugi knew her grandfather well and she could tell he was uncomfortable about something. She wanted to know what it was, but also didn't want to be a bother. She settled for standing awkwardly, trying to figure out what to say.

Eventually gramps gave a sigh. He ran a hand through his beard, scratching at it nervously.

"Sorry Yuugi, I shouldn't call you a kid." Said gramps. "Especially with everything that's going on."

Now Yuugi was official confused. Gramps tone was serious, instantly making Yuugi worried. He reached out, taking her hands and gripping them. He gave Yuugi a kind smile, bringing out each wrinkle on his face.

"You've always been mature for your age." Said gramps. "I haven't been the best about being around and you've spent a lot of time growing up by yourself. I think I forgot how hard it is to be a parent was when I took you in after your parents died. You are a delight to have, and while I still want to baby you, I don't think it would be a good idea. I want to be a good grandfather to you."

Yuugi swallowed down the sudden lump in her throat.

"Gramps, where is this coming from?" said Yuugi, suddenly scared. Was he sick? Oh dear heck that had better not have been a doctor on the phone.

Gramps chuckled. "Don't panic. I just want to show you something."

Gramps grabbed the mouse, wiggling it so that the screen appeared. Yuugi bent down, not sure what she was seeing. It appeared to be a document. There was an official looking seal in the corner and some signatures.

"I just got the updated contract to the house." Said gramps.

"That was Izumi on the phone." Said Yuugi, connecting the conversations. Thanks goodness it wasn't a doctor.

"It was her paralegal to be specific." Said gramps. "The official end date for the contract is February 1st. If it is not renewed by then, the agreement ends and we have a week to move out."

February 1st. That was Yami's birthday. It looked like Izumi was serious about their deal. That's how long Yuugi had to get her approval.

"I'm not going to sugar coat this for you Yuugi." Said gramps, turning his his seat to look at Yuugi again. "Based on what the paralegal said, it's very likely that if the contract is not renewed, not only will be forced out of this home, I doubt we'll be able to find a place anywhere near Domino."

Yuugi's eyes widened. "Do you think she would go that far?"

"I do." Said gramps. "This woman does not mess around."

Now Yuugi felt sick. The newest article about her bullying now bothering her. Was this a reaction to that?

"Yuugi." Said gramps. "You want to stay together with Yami right?"

Yuugi nodded without hesitation.

"Then remember that." Said gramps. "Let me take care of you these last few months before you become an adult and don't let this bother you. A house becomes a home because of who and what you put into it, not the structure of the building or where it is. Do what you want, and I'll do my best to support you. It's my privilege as your grandfather."

Touched and unable to speak, Yugi threw her arms around her grandfather's neck.

"Thanks gramps." Said Yuugi, pulling back and rubbing her eyes.

Gramps ruffled her hair, smiling at her. "Now I'll be there in a second. I have a couple more things to finish here and then we can eat."

Yuugi nodded, giving gramps one last hug before walking back into the house. At the door, she nearly ran into Yami. He was leaning against the wall beside the door, a contemplative look on his face.

"You heard?" said Yuugi.

Yami nodded, his expression grim again. "I don't think I've ever dreaded a birthday so much."

"Then we'll just have to change that." Said Yuugi, walking into the kitchen, Yami following after her. She jumped on the couch, pointing dramatically at Yami as she struck a pose. "If we don't get her permission, let's make it the loudest, biggest birthday you've ever had to say 'F you Izumi!' "

"Language." Said Yami with a wry smile. "And no alcohol."

"How else are we supposed to get Bakura and his soon to be wife to come?" said Yuugi. "And we can rent out a bounce house."

"Marik would probably break it."

"We'd make so much noise they'd call the cops on us."

"Someone will probably spike the punch."

"Great idea." Said Yuugi, snapping her fingers. "And we can lock Jou and Kaiba in their closet. Maybe they'll stop being stupid and actually talk to each other."

"I'm not sure it would be talking that they'd be doing."

Yuugi jumped off the couch, wrapping her arms around Yami's waist.

"Now how do you feel about your birthday?" she said with a grin.

Yami smiled down at her, the expression soft as he leaned down and gave her a long drawn out kiss.

"It sounds perfect." He said. "Though I'd be fine with just a quiet evening with you."

"Hmm, we can put that on the list of possibilities." Said Yuugi. "Either way, I don't plan on letting Izumi ruining it."

She didn't plan on Izumi ruining any of it. Yuugi was going to protect this place and her relationship with Yami. She just wasn't sure how she was going to do it yet.

* * *

 **Yay chapter 100! Thank you for all of your wonderful comments and support through this entire thing, but if anyone congratulates me for 100 chapters I will curse their computer to explode! This story was supposed to be 40 chapters tops. TOPS I TELL YOU! Hateful Yuugi and Yami who are so cute I can't help but keep writing. (Don't worry I won't really curse your computer to explode. Just die a little) XD  
**

 **T** **he next chapter will be the extra scenes from Yami's perspective. So you have one more chance to write the five scenes you would like to see. Yay. Thank you all of those that have already given me their potentials.  
**

 **And special thanks for those that have written and left a review on last chapter. whitlaw123, PhantomBrat, My fanfix, Guildsnake, Nekogirl52, Walt-Disney and Anime, Lily D. Cave, personumberone, RenMow11, Blutkatze, and Phoenix Flametail.**


	101. Chapter 101: Yami Extra

**Chapter 101**

 **Extra: Yami's perspective 3  
**

 **Chapter 65**

Now that Yami was aware that the rumors and bullying had hurt Yuugi, he felt an extra twist in his stomach any time he saw evidence of such actions. Yuugi didn't seem as bothered as she had been, but Yami knew some of it was a front for his sake. She'd admitted the effect the bullying was staring to have on her, and it would have been completely neglectful on his part if he ignored the cry for help.

So when he heard those words coming out of Tara's mouth, he decided he wasn't going to be merciful anymore. Not when Yuugi was hurting. He had just returned from the bathroom to find them hovering around his girlfriend, their backs to him so they didn't seem him approach.

"What a pathetic attempt." The girl sneered at Yuugi, "Ah yes, I'm sure that will cover up all your flaws so perfectly. Is this the extent of what Yami's worth to you? You're such an embarrassment."

Fire blazed inside Yami. His hand slammed on the locker, making the girls jump around in fright. Several others in the hall stopped as well, staring at the scene. Yami didn't pay them any attention, eyes fixed on Tara.

"I've been patient because Yuugi insisted." Said Yami, practically trembling with surprised rage. "But I will only tolerate so much of your crap Tara. You will refrain from talking to my girlfriend ever again or else you would be needing a new pair of kneecaps."

And Yami meant it.

The girl bolted. The fear had been obvious. She wouldn't be bugging Yuugi again, but that didn't mean others wouldn't continue.

Yami gritting his teeth in frustration.

He had let his anger take over, lashing out on impulse. He didn't regret it, but he was worried. Worried what would happen when the rest of society found out he was dating Yuugi. When Yuugi tried to socialize with the upper class. The bullying would be so much worse, attacking her in ways Yuugi had never experienced before. How was he going to protect her from that when he could barely protect her from high school bullies?

"You know." Said Yuugi, and Yami snapped his attention onto her. "I think I understand what Ryou was getting at, because that _was_ hot."

Yami blinked in surprise, caught off guard. Yuugi's comment had jolted him from his brooding thoughts. As his eyes fell on her cheeky grin, he relaxed, his anger abating.

"Sorry." He said. "I know you wanted to fight this on your own, but… I didn't even notice I was moving."

Yuugi took his hand, smiling at him as she gave it a squeeze.

"Thank you." She said. "and not just for this. I heard about the agreement between you and Ushio."

"How did you find that out?"

"Caught him taking the letters from my locker, and would it kill you to at least look a little guilty? I knew you were hiding something from me. When are you going to talk to me about the bigger things that are going on?"

Fear immediately made Yami's stomach clench. He didn't look at Yuugi as he responded. "Another time. We need to get to class or we'll be late."

It didn't work. Yugui must have decided something because she grabbed Yami's arm, firmly pulling him to an empty hall. Once they were alone, she turned around, planted her hands on her hips as she glared at him.

"What's the point of this?" said Yuugi.

"Excuse me?" said Yami, confused.

"Of this?" said Yuugi, gesturing to the two of them. "Of us dating? Of us having a relationship? What's the point if we don't rely on one another, communicate and experience things together? I can see that something is bothering you, much like my insecurities did me. I don't want that. I want to help you. I want to be honest with you Yami, and I want you to be honest with me as well."

Yuugi held her head high, not backing down with her glare. Yami's eyes flickering between her own, searching for any hesitance. Her words sank into him and he realized she was right. He couldn't keep this from her. He needed to stop being a coward and talk to her. And she would give him an honest answer, just like with his confession. No matter the outcome, he would at least know. He could count on her for that.

He took a breath, forcing himself to relax. He felt so tired from worrying.

"Not now." Said Yami. "I'll tell you about it later."

"What did I just-!"

"It would take too long."

He walked forward, gathering Yuugi in his arms and hugging her to his chest. He buried himself in her, completely engulfing her in a way he hadn't done since she had confessed to him. She returned the hug.

"You're scaring me a bit." She said, the heat in her voice gone.

"Sorry." He muttered in her hair. "I'll tell you. I promise, just… later. When we have time to talk without interruptions."

When he would have time to explain everything. Time to gain control of all his worries. The words Tara had thrown at Yuugi had stuck on Yami, ringing in his head.

 _"_ _Is this the extent of what Yami's worth to you?"_ Would Yuugi still want him with all the problems he was sure to bring her?

Yami didn't realize how desperately he held onto Yuugi, well past the tardy bell signaling they were late for class.

* * *

 **Between Chapter 65 and 66**

Yami was going crazy.

He let his head fall backward, hanging over the chair. It spun slowly as he leaned to one side. He counted the number of times he saw the clock on the wall flash past, taking a few minutes between each pass.

He was so bored out of his mind.

It was the fifth day of Yuugi's grounding and Yami felt like he was the one being punished. His homework was all done from the previous week, Marik was gone bothering Malik, and there was nothing to do in his house. Sure, he had some games and books, but those had lost their appeal hours ago.

The chair spun slowly, revealing the clock again. It showed half past seven. Maybe he could go to sleep right now so that tomorrow would come more quickly.

Yami straightened, glancing at the pad of paper that outlined his plans for their first date. He wanted to keep it simple, have fun and try to enjoy themselves without any pressure. Honestly he could be doing anything with Yuugi and it would have been great to him. A smile stretched across his lips. Gosh he was so far gone.

Hopefully the date would keep his mind from what he had promised to tell her. The situation with his family and inheritance.

The smile slowly slid off his face at the thought. This could very well be his last date with Yuugi. Everything would depend on her response. Would she agree to his parents conditions? Would she decide that their relationship wasn't worth the struggle? Would she still want to be friends? Or would she shun him completely from her presence.

Yup. This grounding was definitely meant to punish him as much as Yuugi. Why had he listened to Barkua and Marik?

"I'm never going to a club again." Yami promised.

* * *

 **Chapter 70**

"WHAT THE ACTUAL FREAKING HELL YAMI!?"

Yuugi was standing, her cup of hot chocolate rolling across the table, spilling brown liquid everywhere. She was breathing hard, glaring at him fiercely with those huge beautiful eyes. He could feel the heat radiating from them, instilling in him just how angry she was.

"You're mad." Said Yami. He was completely confused. Out of all the reactions he had imagined, this had never been one of them. Bristling with indignation.

"Oh, I'm not mad." Said Yuugi. "I'm flippin pissed! Why would you keep something like this quiet for so long? This isn't some little dirty secret like porn books under your bed. This is a big deal! It's completely centered on our relationship and will affect both of us directly. And you thought it was okay for you to keep this to yourself for so long without consulting me? Are you an idiot!?"

"Yuugi-" started Yami, but she cut him off.

"Or maybe you don't see me as an equal partner. After all, Yuugi Mutou is just an accessory to the great Yami Sennen. She will never be his equal."

Anger flickered in Yami's eyes. He _hated_ it when people muttered that at school. He would never assume himself above her. Not when the truth was the complete opposite.

Before he could say anything, one of the employees had come over to them.

"Please have your discussion somewhere else." He said, arms folded. "You're disturbing the other customers."

Yuugi glanced around, noticing the stares and the mess they had made. The longer she looked, the more she deflated, until Yami could barely recognize the two as the same person. It sent a spike of fear through him.

She was hurting.

"Sorry." Said Yuugi, and before Yami could say anything, she had quickly cleared up the mess, gathered her stuff and ran out the door.

"Yuugi." He called, but the door had already banged shut.

Yami growled, berating himself for making this happen. He threw on his jacket and stomped outside, ignoring the whispers of those around him.

He met the cold air, wincing as his body shivered. It was dark out by now and the temperature had dropped significantly.

He whipped his head around, spotting her walking quickly down the road. She hadn't even bothered putting on her coat or scarf. He chased after her.

"Yuugi, wait."

Yuugi didn't stop.

"I said stop."

He grabbed her arm, spinning her around to face him. She kept her head down, not looking at him.

Yami's insides were writing in fear. He had no idea what her response meant. She was angry and upset. Did this mean she didn't want anything to do with him? Yami clenched his jaw, throwing aside his hesitance and fears. Whatever her response, he needed to hear it.

"I'm sorry Yuugi."

Yuugi slowly looked up. Her expression was clouded, no single emotion standing out. She looked as if she might drift away, staring at Yami as if he were the only one that could anchor her.

"I'm sorry." He repeated, voice low. "For not consulting you. I realize now it was entirely selfish of me."

Yuugi chewed on her bottom lip, her expression worsening. Then she spoke, her voice so quiet he almost didn't hear it.

"There no way it's worth it."

Yami stilled, keeping his emotions carefully in check.

"That I'm worth the risk." She looked as if she might burst into tears. She wasn't looking at him, anguish emerging through her haze. "You… should think of yourself Yami. I won't blame you if you want to break up with me."

Yami moved forward without thinking, forcing Yuugi back. When she hit the wall, he didn't stop. He loomed over her, placing a forearm against the wall to brace himself. Her eyes doubled in size as Yami's face got closer, an intensity framing his every move.

Yami was furious. Words didn't begin to describe the anger he was feeling. The disappointment he felt towards himself. This was why she was upset. She thought- oh gosh how could she even think that she wasn't worth it? That she wasn't worth everything.

"Don't say that." Said Yami, a rumble of anger in his voice. "Don't you ever say that. Do you not realize how important you are to me?"

"I… don't know, I just…"

She trailed off, still staring at him.

"Yuugi." Said Yami, fervor in his voice. "Do you know why I didn't tell you about any of this? Why I kept it to myself? It wasn't because I was trying to decide what to do. I wasn't trying to figure out if you or money was more important. I hesitated because a part of me was… _is_ terrified that when you learned about all of this… you would leave me."

Yami saw the shiver run through Yuugi's body. Her mouth had fallen open, gaping at him as if she had never imagined him speaking those words. He didn't stop, needing her to understand.

"I'm not confident Yuugi." He said. "I'm selfish, impatient, quick to anger, and I have a lot of pride. There are some days where I don't like myself, but when I'm with you, I feel like I can be better. I am better. You bring out the best of me. You don't understand-"

Yami cut himself off, grinding his teeth in frustration. He had never been good at expressing himself. Not when it came to things that were important. Not when it came to Yuugi. But she had to know. He had to tell her what she meant to him.

He broke eye contact, glaring at a spot somewhere near her left shoe. His voice was lower now, but it hadn't lost any of its strength.

"You're my light Yuugi." He said. "It's not worth it without you there. None of it is."

Yami's heart was thudding painfully in this chest. He had said it. He had exposed his soul to her. His heart was now in her hands. Her small beautiful hands that could so easily crush it with her next words. Every feeling of self-preservation was urging him to take it back. To retreat before she could cripple him.

He waited, each second accentuated by his hammering heart. Eventually her lips parted, and she spoke.

"I love you Yami."

Anything she might have said after that was lost. He wasn't thinking, that single word echoing in his head.

 _Love._

Yami had crashed his lips against hers, the kiss rough and forceful. His mind was buzzing, lost in the desire to fill himself with her presence. With her love. He pressed his body flush against her, hands wondering to her back. She was squirming against him, small whines escaping her mouth. It spurned on his desire, pulling her even closer to him.

Yuugi ran her finger's through his hair, gripping tightly as his locks. He hummed in his throat against the sharp pain, his hand delving beneath her shirt to feel her skin against his. She gave a soft yelp of surprise, and Yami took the opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth. She tried to fight back, her weak resistance soon overwhelmed by his hunger.

Then something changed. Her body froze, backing away from Yami. He was too engrossed to respond properly.

"Yami, we- mmphh, nngh- stop! We shouldn't- hmmph! – this isn't - Yami!"

Finally, he relented, allowing her to softly push him back. But not far. He kept her close, arms wound around her lower back, bodies pressed against each other. She kept her head down, her entire face flushed. Her hair was deshelled, eyes shining with the gleam of desire. Yami grinned, elated that he had garnished this response from her.

"Yami, we shouldn't do this." she whispered

"And why not?" said Yami. He began kissing the lining of her jaw, trailing kisses down her neck to her collar. "Is this too much for you?" because it wasn't enough for him. He couldn't help it. Not when she was in his arms, responding so wonderfully to his advances.

Yuugi leaned away, giving Yami better access to her exposed neck.

"That's not… It's not a good idea." She said, her resistance sounding weaker every second. "We shouldn't… not here Yami."

He wasn't listening. His hand had begun to creep upwards, this time at the front of her shirt.

Something hard collided with Yami's head.

"STOP!"

Yami staggered backwards, rubbing the top of his head as he blinked stars form his eyes.

"That hurt." Grumbled Yami, still rubbing the top of his head. "There was no need to hit me that hard."

Then his vision cleared and he saw Yuugi's face. It had turned completely green.

It was as if he had been doused in a bucked of cold water. The world came back into focus around him, and he realized he had gone way too far.

"Yuugi, are you alright? He said. _Please don't be disgusted at me._

Yuugi lowered her head.

Fear rippled through Yami.

 _Shi-_

"Yuugi, please look at me." Said Yami, his voice trembling. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. I didn't mean to go so far. When you said that you- I just couldn't stop."

He reached for her, then stopped. He was scared she would brush his hand away. All the insecurity came back tenfold. He had ruined it. He-

Yuugi pushed away from the wall, walking the two steps to Yami and wrapping her arms around him. She buried her face into his chest.

Yami didn't move.

"Not here." She muttered against his shirt. "Later… when we're alone."

Relief flooded his system. He could see the blush coloring her ears as she strengthened her hold around Yami's middle.

S _he's embarrassed_. He realized. Of course, they had been making out in a very public place. He gave himself a mental kick.

Carefully, Yami returned the hug, kissing the top of her head.

"Later." He agreed, his heart relaxing. He smiled softly, his fears and love finally expressed. She hadn't left him. She hadn't run. Everything that was important to him was right here in his arms.

* * *

 **Chapter 88**

Somehow, Yami was talking. He was talking and fitting in with Ryuji and Kisara's friends. An event he would have never imagined happening. After the fall out with Kisara, he hadn't been able to repair any of his friendships with her group. Sure, there might be a cordial word exchanged here and there, but nothing of substance. Yet in just ten minutes, Yuugi had broken down all their walls. She'd taken Kisara's introduction and blasted through it, her openness and goodness shining through, and she had carried Yami along for the ride.

In minutes, she had done what he had failed to do the past year. He just wasn't good at repairing relationships, and it was something Yuugi excelled at.

Unfortunately, it looked like the drama wasn't over.

"I'm afraid of what she might say." Ryuji was saying with a sigh. "Kisara's actually enjoying herself, but if Mana messes that up…"

"She's not doing it to be rude." Said Yami. "She's just concerned for her friend, and we can't deny the talk and looks that have been revolving around her. It's a good thing Kisara is a little unaware so she hasn't noticed."

Ryuji smacked Yami's shoulder. "Don't call her unaware."

"It's not an insult, and it can be a good thing." Said Yami, with a grimace. For example, he had noticed every time Yuugi's happiness had faltered tonight. He was almost sick with worry. So far nothing disastrous had happened, and the conflict with Vivian could have gone much worse.

But there were the things people whispered. The rude comments that Yami's sharp eyes and ears had noticed. It stirred his instinct to protect her, making him feel on edge for much of the night. The only times he had been able to relax were moments he had been lost in conversation with Yuugi. Or when she had sent him a smile.

Unfortunately, he wasn't the only person that had noticed that smile. He'd spotted more than a few men openly staring at her, desire in their eyes.

Yes, it was sometimes a good thing to be unaware.

He spotted Yuugi walking back from the bathroom with Kiseki. Something wasn't right. She was walking with a lot less energy than before.

"Where's Kisara?" said Ryuji, as soon as she got close.

"With Mana," said Yuugi, pointing behind her. "We saw her in the foyer and Kisara wanted to talk to her. I hope it goes well."

"She did?" said Ryuji, looking alarmed. For good reason too. That conversation could not be going well, knowing Mana's personality. "Crap, I'll be right back."

Ryuji took off down the hall Yuugi had just walked from. She watched Ryuji leave, her expression thoughtful.

"What was that about?" said Yuugi, who had finally turned her attention to Yami, bouncing Kiseki on her hip.

"She cornered Ryuji earlier." Said Yami "Tried to convince him that it was a bad idea to bring Kisara back to these parties."

Yuugi grimaced.

"Was it out of concern for Kisara's emotional well being, or to prevent embarrassment?"

"Not sure." He said, frowning. Yuugi had glanced behind her and as she had turned her cheek, he spotted something on it. It was subtle, a new layer of makeup not quite covering the redness. It was a line of nail marks.

That wasn't all of it. He could tell her hair had been disturbed. A few strands in the back were misplaced and sticking out. Someone had physically attacked her.

A small fire of anger was lit inside of Yami. His anxiety kindled the flame, starting small, still able to be contained. If he wasn't careful, it would ignite into a full fire.

Five minutes. She had been away from his side for five minutes and someone had gone after her.

"Yuugi." Said Yami carefully. "Did you get hurt?"

Surprise and fear flickered across Yuugi's expression, then transformed into a nervous laugh.

Yami's mood worsened. Yuugi only reacted like that when she knew something would make him mad and she didn't know how to respond.

Carefully, he cupped her chin, tilting it slightly to get a good look at the marks. They were deep, but it didn't look like any of them had broken the skin. He brushed a thumb over the marks, feeling for any swelling.

"Does it hurt?" he said, slowly withdrawing his hand. She flashed her violet eyes at him, hesitance and fear evident.

"It doesn't." she said. "I uh, had a little run in with Vivian in the hall."

Yami's eyes darkened. "What happened?" he growled.

As Yuugi told him the story, Yami retracted his earlier thoughts. He was grateful he was observant. If he wasn't, he wouldn't have noticed the marks. He wouldn't have noticed the slight uncertainty in her expression. He wouldn't have noticed Kisara's friends staring at them when he had examined her face. He wouldn't have noticed them listening in, their mutterings in hoping that Yuugi was okay.

He wouldn't have noticed that Yuugi was truly alright. Shaken, but alright. He wouldn't have noticed her strength and determination to not let this take her down. She was struggling, but she was also pushing forward without any hesitance, and Yami had observed it all.

* * *

 **Chapter 95**

"So Pharaoh, when are you and the squirt going to get hitched?"

Yami stiffened, not at the question, but at his girlfriend's reaction. Yuugi chocked, spilling much of her drink all over Ryou.

"And what about your conquest?" said Yami, ignoring his thudding heart. "Worry about your own love life before making comments about mine."

"It was just a question." Said Marik, giving an _'innocent'_ smile.

Thankfully no one was paying attention to them and someone distracted Marik a second later. That was a topic Yami had no desire to talk about. Not because he disliked the idea. Quite the opposite. Nothing would be more satisfying than to put a ring on Yuugi's finger, marking her as his for everyone to see. But there were some steps that would have to come first.

The most important would be warming Yuugi up to the idea. Heavens forbid she'd say no when he'd ask. Because he would ask eventually.

The next step would be having a place of their own. He refused to marry her without first the ability to support them both. In a way, he envied Bakura. The man already had a career and the ability to support a household.

 _Look at me, already planning our future together when she's barely acknowledged loving me._ Thought Yami with a sigh, placing a hand to his forehead. He needed to stop his thoughts from straying down these paths, or else he'd say something stupid on impulse again.

He watched Yuugi for a moment, who was still talking to Ryou, a tinge of pink in her face. He couldn't help smiling at the sight.

Yes, for now, he would be satisfied with this. He wanted more. So much more. But he needed to be patient.

* * *

 **Chapter 96**

"Would you ever want to get married?"

Yami's hand in her hair paused. He hadn't expected that question.

Neither had Yuugi based on the blush that erupted on her face a second later. He smiled, unable to help his desire to tease her. Her trepidation doubed when she saw his expression.

"Don't you dare." Said Yuugi.

His smile just widened.

"Why Yuugi, are you proposing to me?" said Yami, trying not to laugh.

She shot him a glare. The heat was completely ruined by her own warm cheeks.

"You know that's not what I meant." she said, the warning in her voice. He ignored it.

"I didn't realize you were so bold-"

"Yami!"

"-but if it's what you want dear, I accept." Said Yami, positively grinning at this point. Yuugi let out something between the growl and a hiss, giving him a shove. His quick reflexes caught her wrist, spinning her around and pulling her back into his arms. She gave an annoyed huff, turning away from Yami's face, which in this position was cheek to cheek with her own. He wasn't deterred, humming happily due to the person captured in his arms.

"You enjoy teasing me, don't you?" said Yuugi.

"You make it all too easy Love."

Yuugi relaxed, closing her eyes as she let her head fall back into the crook in his neck.

"You know, it was a serious question." She said quietly.

The smile fell from Yami's face. He stared at Yuugi, who was nestling comfortable against his chest, completely unaware of the turmoil she had caused inside of him. How would she react if he told her? He'd just promised himself to be patient not an hour ago.

Yeah, that wasn't happening anymore.

He brought a hand up to cup her face, pressing a slow kiss on her neck.

"Y-Yami?" she gasped.

Another kiss followed the first, this one higher towards her jaw line. The other hand not cradling her face was now at the edge of her shirt, his skin brushing against her exposed stomach. He hummed against her cheek, the sound deep and full of emotion.

"Now you're the one teasing me." He muttered, nuzzling his face into her hair.

He might have kept going. His entire body was aflame, wanting to take her into his arms. But his mind wasn't so far gone that he didn't notice her distress.

She had become completely still, face scrunched in displeasure.

He had gone too far again.

Yami stopped.

He pulled away, slowly so as not to upset her. Yuugi appeared dazed as she looked back at him, confusion in her eyes.

"Sorry." He said. "I think I'm going to go to bed."

Before Yuugi could say anything, he placed a tender hand against her face, a thumb brushing her cheek. Then he turned and retreated into the spare bedroom. The room he had been sleeping in ever since Yuugi had emerged.

He closed the door, leaning his head against the frame.

 _Control._ He told himself _. It wasn't an offer. There wasn't any meaning in it. It was just a question._

A question that had completely turned him on. He was getting more greedy by the day.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! And special thanks to those that reviewed!** **Jaylonni Love, CottonCoccon, personumberone, RenMow11, KudoShinichiIsHot, whitlaw123, and PhantomBrat. Haha. fine I was lying, I won't curse your computers. No worries about playing catch up with chapters guys. I know life, trust me. :)  
**

 **I hope you all enjoyed the Yami chapters. I wanted to give at least everyone one scene they requested. It's a thank you to all of you that have taken the time to review and read the story.**

 **BTW, can you tell I like hugs? Like, better than kissing. They're just absolutely amazing. A good hug can recharge your energy like nothing else.** **:)**

 **-King of Doors**

* * *

Extra:

"You're different." Said Yusei.

"What do you mean?" said Yami.

"I don't know. Even when we used to be friends, you always had the same stoic look on your face. To be honest I only hung out with you because everyone else did. It was hard to tell what you were thinking and I thought you were looking down on us this whole time."

"I can't help it. It's just what my face looks like."

"Unless he's with Yuugi." Chirped in Juudai. "Then it's pretty much obvious what you're thinking."

Yami glanced at Yuugi, who was currently talking to Aki. He then looked back at Yusei and Juudai, the latter grinning mischievously at him.

"That's what it is." Said Yusei, with a nod. "It's Yuugi. She makes you more approachable."

"You're telling me something I already know." Said Yami.

"It's hard not to notice." said Juudai. "I've never seen you so animated when you're around her. Or your other friend, Jou right? It's like you're a completely different person. She brings out the best in you."

"I can't argue that." Said Yami, as he looked back towards Yuugi. She glanced at him, their eyes connecting. She sent him a smile, overflowing with energy and love. It brought an involuntary smile to his face, calm, but just as warm.

He didn't even hear Juudai whisper loudly to Yusei. "Want to bet he proposes to her before they graduate?"


	102. Chapter 102

Chapter 102

"No, we went to the optometrist right after." said Yuugi. She was talking on the phone with Kisara, the phone on speaker on her desk. She was currently folding her laundry and doing general tidying up in her room. "He said there shouldn't be any lasting damage. I had to take some drops for a while but everything's fine now."

 _"_ _That's good to hear."_ She heard Kisara sigh on the other side. _"I still can't believe that happened. It seems that woman will go to any lengths to get rid of you. It's terrifying."_

"Tell me about it." grimaced Yuugi. "I'm still reeling about the thing with the police."

 _"_ _How did Yami take it?"_

"Pretty well I think. I managed to stop him going after Mana's blood."

 _"_ _That's good. She's still not answering my calls."_

"Well this seems mightily familiar, except the roles are reversed."

Kisara gave a weak chuckle. It sounded bitter.

There was a crash on the other side of the phone.

 _"Oh gosh! No, don't do that- Sorry Yuugi, I have to go. Kiseki just dumped out the plants all over the floor. There's dirt everywhere- Kiseki! that's not for you to eat-"_

 _~click_

Yuugi chuckled to herself, slipping the phone into her pocket. Kiseki was adorable, but he could be a handful.

Much like with the previous article, Yuugi had been messaged by her friends to make sure she was okay. Kisara, who had experience of similar bullying, had been extra sympathetic towards the whole thing. Yuugi had also been surprised when Kisara told her that the friends Yuugi had met at the party were also concerned. They had only met once, yet each of them wanted to express their concerns. It warmed her heart.

Yuugi finished putting up her laundry, shooting a quick text to Yami to see if he was coming for dinner. He wasn't there now. Though he didn't technically live at her house, it was stranger to have him gone than not.

 _He's been gone a lot more often lately._ She thought with a frown. She had no idea where he was right now. Not that she always had to be aware of where he was, but it was unusual.

She shrugged it off, pulling out a video game and using it to occupy her time.

* * *

Something was definitely going on. For the next five days, Yami didn't stay at her home. He'd walk her to and from school each day, but after that he'd say he had other things to take care of and leave. Not that she was concerned about his feelings for her. That was a route she had no desire to go down again, but it was weird. This might have been normal before they were dating, but not now. Not when he'd stay at her place four days a week on average. It was too strange.

She was close to calling him out on it, except there was another person acting strange. Jounouchi was moodier than usual, his homework taking the brunt of his frustrations. There were holes in each of the papers he'd turn in, explaining to the teacher that it wasn't his fault the paper was defective and couldn't take the abuse.

"I'm going home with Jou today." Yuugi said to Yami by the lockers.

"Does he know about this? He's leaving."

Yuugi whipped around to see Jou, head down and grumbling as he walked away.

"Katsuya Jounouchi!" yelled Yuugi, making several people in the hall jump, including Jou. "Don't move your blonde butt! I told you we're going home together."

"Oh yeah." Said Jou, scratching his head looking sheepish. "Sorry Yug', I forgot."

"See, he knows." Said Yuugi with a smile back at Yami. He just nodded.

"I'll be around later tonight, if that's alright."

"Oh, so now you want to come over?" said Yuugi, blinking large innocent eyes at him. "And pray tell, what special occasion grants us the humbling honor of entertaining your presence this evening?"

"You watched Pride and Prejudice last night, didn't you?"

"The five hour version. Now answer the question."

"To see my girlfriend's face of course. You're not mad at me for neglecting you?"

Yuugi grimaced. "No, I'm just mad because I think I know why and I'm not happy about it."

Yami was obviously confused.

"We'll discuss it later." Said Yuugi. "Right now I'm on damage control with the blonde."

"The blonde has a name you know." Said Jou, who had reached them by that point. "And really Yuugi? Pride and Prejudice? It's a chick flick."

Yuugi pointed to her skirt, eyebrows raised impatiently at Jou. "This is not a kilt. You cannot judge me anymore for my girly tastes."

* * *

"I'll have a number one please. No onions, with water."

The cashier deftly typed the order in the computer, calling out the total and taking the money from Yuugi. She took her ticket, following her group of friends as they walked to their customary booth. The group had expanded more than she had anticipated. Honda and Anzu had decided to tag along, wanting to hang out and catch up.

"I can't help it. I can't afford to gain any weight right now." Anzu was saying angrily at Jou, who was teasing her for ordering a salad.

"Yes, because you're just sooo fat right now."

A pile of napkins were thrown at Jou. "Shut it!" she huffed, the water cup in her hand crunching under her grip. "I have a dance performance coming up. I want to look good for my solo."

"Who goes to a fast food joint to order a salad? It's unethical."

"That's right, you have two this year." said Yuugi, ignoring Honda and Jou as they high fived each other. Anzu did the same, turning her attention to Yuugi and giving a peace sign.

"Yup! Plus a prominent part in another dance. It's perfect for a senior performance. I'm so excited, but I'm also nervous."

"I'm sure you'll do great." Said Yuugi. "Want us to come see you?"

"Would you? That'd be so amazing I'd love for you all to come."

"Ballet's boring." Said Honda.

"Dat's cause you're not looking at it the right way." Said Jou, wrapping an arm around Honda's shoulder and pointing towards the horizon with a straw. "A group of women wearing nothing but tights and leotards. Plus they're super flexible. If you know what I mean."

"You're both uninvited." Said Anzu, scrunching her nose at them.

Yuugi laughed so hard she nearly snorted, covering her face with a hand.

"What's so funny." Said Jou with a raised eyebrow.

"I just find what you said ironic." Said Yugi, tilting her head at him. "You know, considering some things."

"An' what is that supposed to mean?"

"All in good time." Said Yuugi happily, standing up to get her order.

The group settled down, eating and laughing together. They hadn't gone to burger world in a while. Most of the staff still knew them by name so maybe it hadn't been that long. Nevertheless, she took the time to enjoy herself and laugh with her friends.

Eventually Yuugi decided it was time to broach the subject.

"So Jou. What's going on?"

"Eh?"

The blonde paused as took a spoonful of his shake. It was cold outside and the man was ordering a shake! He was one of those people.

"What do yah mean?" said Jou.

"You've been acting weird man." Said Honda, elbowing him. "What's going on? Did you fail a class?"

"I didn't fail." Grumbled Jou. He took an angry bite from a fry as if he were biting off someone's head. "An' nothin's going on."

"So none of this has to do with Kaiba." said Yuugi.

Jou choked on a fry, thumping on his chest to dislodge the food from his esophagus. After a few seconds of extreme coaching, he managed to clear his airway. Jou turned watering eyes to Yuugi, looking scandalized.

"The hell did that come from?" said Jou.

"Just a hunch." Said Yuugi with a triumphant grin. "So are you going to share or not?"

"There's nothing to share." Grumbled Jou. "Kiaba's a selfish prick who thinks everyone worships the ground he walks on."

"Can't argue that." Said Honda. "I always thank the heavens when he doesn't appear at school."

"That's a little harsh." Said Anzu.

"It's what everyone else thinks though." Continued Honda with a shrug. "I'm just the one that will say it out loud. The man is nothing but rude and looks down on everyone from his high horse. Never seeing his ugly mug is one thing I'm looking forward to after graduating."

The longer Honda bad mouthed Kaiba, the more Jou sunk into his seat until his nose was almost level with the table. Honda seemed to be unaware of how his words were effecting Jou, continuing his rant against Kaiba.

"And he makes girls cry. I heard Kimiko tried to confess to him and he didn't even bother reading the letter. She stayed after school for three hours waiting for him and he didn't come. He's really insensitive and only care about himself."

"Now that's not completely true." Said Jou slowly. "He cares about his brother."

"You can't redeem a person because of one good thing." Said Honda. "I mean, he treats you like crap."

"Ehh, sometimes." Mumbled Jou. "He's not always so bad."

The three of then stared at Jou, who was lost in his own thoughts. The blonde thoughtfully sipped at his drink, scowling on occasion.

"Oi." Said Honda, nudging Jou. "Careful. Say things like that and people will think you like Kiaba."

"Dat's not what I'm saying!" said Jou angrily. "I mean, he invited me to that thing so I could help Yuugi. He can't be all that bad."

"That's not why he invited you." Said Yuugi.

"It's not? Then why did he invite me?"

Jou appeared confused. Honda looked just as lost as Jou, but Yuugi could tell Anzu was catching on. Her eyes widened as she looked between Jou and Yuugi, connecting the dots.

"You don't mean." Said Anzu. She let out a little laugh. "Well that's somewhat ironic."

Jou looked even more annoyed. He thumped a hand on the table. "That prick! He did it to make fun of me didn't he? I knew it! He thinks he can keep playing me and doing what he wants. Well That's it. I'm not letting him yank me around anymore!"

"He didn't do it to annoy you." Said Yuugi. Gosh he was slower on the uptake than she thought. "He did it because he wanted to invite you."

Jou just stared. She could see that the implications of the statement were rolling in Jou's head but not sticking. He didn't understand.

"You numbskull." Said Anzu, smacking him on the head. "What Yuugi means is that he likes you."

"Eh!"

The light bulb went off. Jou's eyes widened and a very faint amount of pink highlighted his ears. He was flustered in a way Yuugi had never seen before.

"So dat's what he- EEEEEHHHHH!"

Jou slammed his hands on the table again, looking to Yuugi and Anzu as if they knew the secrets of the universe. Thankfully the fast food joint was used to noisy teens so there weren't too many looks sent their way.

"So that's what he meant!" said Jou. "Are you two certain? He likes me?"

"Just ask him yourself." Said Yuugi.

"I already tried that." Muttered Jou.

"Whoh hang on!" said Honda, pointing at Jou. "First off, you are explaining that. Second. The hell man. Where do you two get the strange idea that Kiaba likes Jou? The prick thinks we're a bunch of 'noisy brats.' His words not mine."

Jou looked anywhere but at them, his ears slowly turning more pink. Yuugi grinned at the site. Honda noticed it as well, staring at Jou.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me." Said Honda. "You like him, don't you?"

"Shud up!"

"Really? Out of everyone you like the biggest egomaniac of our generation?"

"But he's really handsome, you have to admit." Said Anzu with a grin. Yuugi let out a laugh at Jou's face.

"Look you guys!" said Jou, making large motions to shush them. "I don't know alright? I kinda like him and that but he also aggravates the hell out of me. I don't know what to think. And then he goes and does stupid crap like that and pisses me off and then it just gets worse."

"What stupid stuff?" said Yuugi.

"Like doing what ever he wants because he wants to. He got me a suit and then kissed me out of nowhere and then when I try-"

"He kissed you!" said Anzu, standing up and causing more of a commotion than Jou had. Yuugi tactfully tugged on her shirt to bring her back down, sending apologetic looks to the people sitting behind them.

"He did." Said Jou, looking sheepish. "Then when I asked him why he just said 'cause I wanted to' all stoic and stupid like he normally does. I just don't understand what he's thinking."

"Sounds like he likes you." Said Yuugi.

"I don't know." Said Honda "This _is_ Kiaba, and he does enjoy messing with Jou a lot."

Yuugi and Anzu exchanged knowing looks each thinking the same thing. That the reason Kiaba picked on Jou so much was because he liked Jou. It was like Kiaba had never graduated from being a middle schooler. It wasn't a surprise really. The man was emotionally constipated.

"Friends, it looks like the ship is sailing." Said Yuugi happily. "So are you going to go on another date with Kiaba?"

They spent the next ten minutes trying to convince Jou that Kiaba did indeed like him, and to go on an actual date with the man. It was more amusing than productive, but it was fun all the same.

Yuugi's phone let out a chime, and she pulled it form her pocket to see it was a message. As she read the text, her glee slowly disappeared as she scowled, no longer in a good mood. She took a deep breath, willing herself not the yell in frustration at the screen.

"Who was that?" asked Anzu, who was munching on Yuugi's fries. She had claimed to only want to eat a few, but the girl had eaten most of them.

"That was just Malik." Said Yuugi, putting away her phone. "He was confirming something I thought."

Something that did not make her happy with Yami. The man was going to get it when he came home tonight.

Anzu gave Yuugi a grimace. "You can look very scary when you want to Yuugi."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and happy holidays.**

 **So yay I'm back and ready to get this show on the road. I'm glad you guys enjoyed the extra chapter. It was for yall. And special thanks for those that reviewed. Guildsnake, CottonCoccon, whitlaw123, Rivergoddess117, personumberone, Blutkatze,** **walt disney and anime, Shadow Fox777, Mistoka, Unitato722, and Guest.**

 **Haha guest, We are not going to kill Vivian as much as we want to. XD**


	103. Chapter 103

Chapter 103

Yuugi was in the living room when Yami got home. She put down her pencil, hearing him unlock the front door.

"Hey, where's gramps?" said Yami, entering the room, his ears slightly pink from the cold.

"Out getting groceries." Said Yuugi.

It took Yami a couple of seconds to realize that something was different. He had shouldered off his backpack before looking at Yuugi and pausing.

"What's up?" said Yami.

Yuugi placed her hands in her lap, staring at her boyfriend with resignation.

"We need to talk."

Surprise flickered in Yami's face. He sat down beside her, giving Yuugi his full attention. Good thing too, because if he hadn't, then it would have given Yuugi something else to be upset about. She was trying to figure out just how much trouble he was in.

"What about?" said Yami

"About your plans to get even with Vivian."

Yami didn't react. He stayed perfectly composed as he gauged her reaction. Yuugi herself was about as calm as water on the brink of boiling. The surface wasn't reacting, but an undeniable hiss could be heard by any that stopped to listen.

"How did you find out about it?" said Yami.

Good. He wasn't playing dumb.

"I asked Mal." Said Yuugi. "I knew Marik, Seto and Bakura would cover for you. And I was sure you'd ask them for help. Mal confirmed what you were up to."

"How did you even know to ask?"

"You were being strange, being gone so often." said Yuugi. "Then Kisara asked me how you had reacted to the paint. I realized you had taken it too well. Everything actually. The article, the verbal bullying. Your mother. In the past, you would threaten and fight anyone that hurt me. Yet now, you weren't giving any sort of reaction. I know that most of it is because of the complexity of the situation and some of it is out of respect for my wishes to fight this but…" Yuugi grimaced. "That paint was the tipping point, wasn't it?"

The longer Yuugi had talked, the darker Yami's expression had gotten. By the end, she could finally see the anger he had been hiding. His frustration with the situation and those who had caused it. His hands were bawled into fists as he trembled to hold back his emotions.

"I will not let her get away with this." said Yami, anger in his voice. "Things have gone entirely too far."

"I agree." Said Yuugi firmly. "But exposing all those scandals? Don't you think that's too much?"

"No. It's time for her to get what she deserves."

"Yami." Said Yuugi. "I don't like it."

"And why not?" said Yami, his voice starting to rise. "We have to do something. She's not going to stop and ignoring it will just make it worse."

"Retaliating like this will just escalate the situation" said Yuugi. "Flipping heck Yami. Mal told me some of the dirt you guys dug up. You could sink her family's business if you're not careful. You think their business partners will be happy getting involved in everything? It will blow everything out of proportion."

"Then maybe the Wong's shouldn't have shady dealings in the first place."

Yuugi growled in frustration. The man was adamant. Vivian had finally done it. She had pushed Yami until the man couldn't take it anymore. He was going to get more than even. He was going to annihilate her. The entire Wong family and their business would receive the brunt of Yami's anger.

The part of Yuugi that might have felt touched he would go so far for her was overshadowed by her fear of what this could turn into. Of the innocent employers of the Wong family and any other victims that could be caught in the cross fire.

"I am not going to stand for this." said Yuugi. "If you release any of the information you got off Vivian, I'm calling off the agreement with your mother."

Yami reeled back, his anger thrown away as fear overtook his features.

"I'm not breaking up with you." Said Yuugi quickly, realizing what it had sounded like. "Just… do you really think your mother will approve of me if I continue to lean on you and your resources for support? If you go through with this, it will do nothing but prove to her that I am a burden. That I cause problems and can't take care of myself. I need to fight with my own strength."

Yami had recovered from Yuugi's previous threat, his eyes even darker in anger. "My mother's opinion can go to hell for all I care." said Yami. "And so can the agreement."

"Yami! You're overreacting."

"I'm not."

They glared at each other for a few moments, each stubbornly refusing the budge. Yami brushed a golden lock from Yuugi's forehead, tucking it behind her ear. His loving touch didn't match the smoldering fire of anger in his eyes.

"I can't just sit back and do nothing Yuugi." He said, his voice a touch softer. "Why won't you let me protect you?"

"Because this isn't right." Said Yuugi, her own voice lowering. "You can't react like this every time someone hurts me and you can't always protect me. You weren't there the last time Ushio and his friends tried to jump me. I had to take care of that myself."

Yami's hand in her hair stopped. Pain was now accompanying the anger in his expression. The words, thought true, had meant to prove a point. But Yuugi had accidentally hurt him in the process.

"I didn't mean it like that." Said Yuugi quickly, wanting to get rid of the hurt.

"No, you're right." Said Yami, slowly removing his hand. He turned his head away from Yuugi, eyes on the ground. They were colored in self-hatred. "I wasn't there for you and you were vulnerable."

Yuugi's heart contracted at the sight. Yami wasn't mad at her for stabbing him in that wound, he was blaming himself. Like he always did. That's not what she wanted. Yuugi put a hand on his forearm, determined to comfort him.

"Don't you dare blame yourself." Said Yuugi. "That day was my fault. I shouldn't have yelled at you and listened. I was being stubborn and you were just trying to respect my wishes."

"I didn't even try to stop you." His voice was lower now. "If your plan hadn't worked. If he had done something to you…"

Yami's arms were trembling, no doubt tormented by all the horrible things that could have happened. This was too much. He was hurting and blaming himself for something that hadn't happened.

She grabbed Yami's face, forcing him to look at her. He allowed her to. A crease of worry marred his features.

"Don't." said Yuugi firmly. "Please, don't do that to yourself. You've always been pushing yourself too hard to protect me. You can't be perfect Yami. You forget everything that you've done for me, and you'll probably never fully understand just how much your protection has helped…."

She took a deep breath, trying to control herself. It hurt to see Yami in pain and knowing that she had put it there. The guilt was making her eyes burn.

"Please Yami, I know that you are protective of me." She pleaded. "I'm not saying that I don't want you to help. I just don't think this is the correct way."

Yami covered her hand with his own, leaning into the touch. His features had softened, no doubt recognizing her attempts to console him. He closed his eyes for a moment, breathing in and out deliberately

"I'm sorry Yuugi." Said Yami softly. "But I can't hold back any longer. I know that I might endanger the agreement. I know it will blow things out of proportion. But I don't care. I won't stand by any longer and see you get hurt again. I won't."

She couldn't stop him. Yami was determined to stop Vivian. Yuugi traced the outline of his face with her fingers, taking in every detail. The worry, the firmness in his conviction, the warmth. Her hands gently descended, her heart finally calm.

"One night." Said Yuugi. "Give me at least one night. Please."

Yami opened his eyes, concentrating on her words.

"At Kiaba's party, let me prove myself." She said. "Not only to the world and your mother, but to you as well."

"You don't have to prove anything to me." Said Yami. "I'm well aware of how strong you are."

"Then let me prove it to myself. If after that night, you're not satisfied, I'll let you do whatever you want."

Yami paused, no doubt considering her offer. Finally, blessedly he nodded, and she let out a breath of relief.

"What's your plan then?" said Yami.

"I have a few ideas." Said Yuugi slowly. "But I'd like to brain storm with you first… if that's alright."

Yami gave his first smile of the evening, the anger in his features finally abating. "I'll do anything you ask of me." He said. "Whatever you think is best."

Yuugi couldn't help smiling, her mood lifting considerably. "Then first thing's first. We've got to make a few calls."

* * *

 **Thanks for the reviews! Guest, Mistoka, whitlaw123, Phoenix Flametail, Guest 2, personumberone, Guildsnake, Bravemaridin. You guys are great! The chapters just kind of come whenever. They don't have a set schedule.  
**


	104. Chapter 104

Chapter 104

Yuugi was starting to get anxious.

Not about the party. For the past week, she and Yami had called, shopped and prepared in almost every way they could think of for this party. Short of kidnapping, they were ready for anything Vivian could come up with.

 _Hmm, probably shouldn't mention kidnapping to Yami. He would set body guards on me._

Yuugi was worried about her and Yami. To be specific, about the physical part of their relationship. The next step.

Ever since she had told herself she wouldn't reject him, she had become hyper aware of certain things. Like when they were alone together in the house, little moments where he would touch her, or even her own body. She'd never had such good oral hygiene in her whole life. The last thing she wanted was for Yami to be disgusted with her because a kiss tasted like garlic.

"You two haven't done it yet?" said Ryou. The girl had paused, blinking disbelieving at Yuugi by the clearance rack of sweaters. The two of them were doing some general shopping. Yuugi had accidentally shrunk a load of laundry last week and wanted to replenish some of her warm clothes.

"What's wrong with that?" Grumbled Yuugi. "I mean, it's perfectly normal, right? Not everyone loses their virginity during high school."

"True…" said Ryou. "I'm just surprised. I guess…"

"What?"

Ryou shrugged, giving Yuugi a knowing smile. "I thought Yami was the impatient type like Bakrua. I assumed he would have seduced you into doing it by now."

Yuugi groaned, shoving the rack of clothes across the metal ring with a little too much force. "I almost wish he would. It would make things a lot easier."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, I know he wants to, but he refuses to take any initiative towards that direction." Said Yuugi, adding another shirt to the pile on her arm. "He's considerate and doesn't try to put any pressure on me at all. Any time her goes over a line, he backs off completely and apologizes. The other day I took a shower and forgot to grab my clothes. So I walked out of the room wearing only a towel and ran into Yami." Her cheeks flushed just thinking about it. "The man just turned around and apologized, as if it was his fault!"

"Yuugi, that's a good thing." Said Ryou with a sigh. "You don't want a pushy boyfriend. Trust me. Bakura is the worst"

Yuugi rolled her eyes. "Don't lie Ryou, you probably like it."

Ryou let out a delicate cough. "I've got enough here. How about we go try on what we've got?"

They went to the changing room, each getting a number and taking stalls next to each other. Yuugi hung her clothes on the rack, tugging off her sweater to try the first shirt.

"I'm not complaining." Said Yuugi, continuing their conversation. "I just feel bad. After everything he's done for me."

"You've done a lot for him too Yuugi." Said Ryou, her voice a little muffled on the other side.

"What do you mean?"

"A relationship isn't a one-way road. At least not the one you and Yami have. You should ask Yami if you want to know specifics."

Yuugi paused, her hands on the hem of her shirt. Yami had mentioned a few things. The warmth of her home compared to his own, and then he had even called her his light. That memory put a smile on her face.

She heard the door open next to her.

"Huh, so this make me look like a sack of potatoes." Said Ryou.

Yuugi opened her opened her own door, looking over Ryou's shirt. It was one of those shirts that were designed to hang loosely on a person. Yuugi had no idea what the style was called, but it looked terrible on Ryou.

"I've always thought that style was silly." Said Yuugi, turning around. "Could you zip this up for me?"

"Sure." Said Ryou, zipping it up to Yuugi's neck. "There you go."

"Thanks."

Yuugi looked in the mirror. The shirt's arms were made of black faux leather, the body a loose dark blue with a zip up back. It looked good on her.

"What should I do Ryou?" said Yuugi, feeling lost. "I don't even know what I want! It might be easier if he were pushy cause then we could talk about it. Instead it has to come from me and I don't have any clue how to initiate that sort of conversation. Or even that sort of situation!"

"Wait... do you want to seduce him, or do you want to talk to him?" said Ryou. "Cause if you want to seduce him, we should check out the lingerie."

Yuugi's face went white. She hadn't even thought about underwear.

Ryou let out a sigh, looking a little silly in her large shirt. "Do you even want to do it with him?"

"I do but… it's embarrassing!"

"It usually is, especially the first couple times." Said Ryou, her own face now turning pink at the topic. An unconscious smile tugged on her lips. "But it can also be wonderful."

Yuugi groaned, marching back into the dressing room and tugging her shirt off. "You're not helpful at all Ryou!"

"Love you too Yuugi." Laughed Ryou.

Yuugi was silent as she and Ryou went thought the checkout thirty minutes later. This whole problem was getting ridiculous. She needed to deal with it before the party or she was going to explode with too much anxiety. It was just a question of how to bring it up.

As they grabbed their bags of clothes, an idea came to Yuugi. It was embarrassing, sure, but it just might work.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **And special thanks of those that reviewed! personumberone, Guildsnake , Unitato722, whitlaw123, RenMow11, Guest, Deji princess, vcjb242, Hiei Dragon Girl, and Blutkatze. I haven't forgotten about all of you! Welcome back to various friends. XD Please everyone stay well! I got sick for a few days this last week and it sucks. blah. We'll get to the party drama after we finish this side story/conflict.  
**


	105. Chapter 105

Chapter 105

"I see you and Ryou were successful." Said Yami. He was sitting at his desk in the guest room, reviewing some material for their test next week.

"Yup." Said Yuugi, dumping the bags on the floor. "I wanted to show you what we got."

"Pull 'em out then."

"No! You have to see me in them." Said Yuugi. Her boyfriend had turned away from his homework, giving her his full attention as he lounged in his chair. She couldn't look at him properly as she grabbed a random shirt from the bag, retreating from the room. "Don't you dare peak at any of them! They have to be a surprise."

"Of course," Yami promise, looking amused.

Yuugi ducked out of the room, quickly changing into the first shirt. Her heart was hammering already in anticipation of what she was going to do. Shoot. She hoped this plan worked. If not, she was going to crawl into a hole an die of embarrassment.

Yuugi came back into the bedroom, smiling sheepishly as she turned for Yami to see her newest shirt. He gave it an appropriate amount of praise, and she hurried to put on the next one. Her nerves were making her change faster than she normally would as she came out a couple more times, showing him her outfits. If Yami noticed, he didn't comment on it.

Eventually she made it to the last shirt. The one with the faux leather arms and zip up back. This one she put on slowly, taking every second she could stretch to pull it over her head. As she paused outside the door, she took a deep breath to steady her heart.

 _Well, here goes nothing._

Yuugi entered, making sure to close the door behind her. Yami had returned to his homework, looking up from the paper as she entered.

"You had one more?" he said. "I thought you were done."

"This is the last one." Said Yuugi, having trouble resuming her normal carefree smile. "It has a zipper on the back so it took be a while to put on."

"It looks good on you." He said with an appreciative smirk. "Especially the leather."

"I thought you might appreciate it." She spun around once to let him see it on all sides.

"You're getting comfortable dressing more feminine I see." He said.

"Yeah, Ryou has been a big help. I'm going to go change back now."

Yami nodded, turning to return to his homework.

"Could you help unzip me?" she said.

Because Yuugi was paying close attention, she saw it. A brief scramble of emotions that played in Yami's eyes. His face was calm and composed as he always was, but it was the eyes that gave away what he felt.

Yuugi tried her best to do the same, remaining impassive as she waited for his reply.

"Of course." Said Yami, without a single change in his voice.

She walked forward, turning to face her back to him. She scooped her hair to one side to allow him access to the zipper that rested at the base of her neck. She felt a little foolish doing this, but it was the best idea she had.

A soft zipping sound alerted her that he had started, tugging at the metal with his hand. She kept her face forward while trying to squelch the mirage of feelings that were threatening to make her run out of the room without looking back.

A moment later the sound ceased.

"How far did you tug it down?" asked Yuugi.

"About your shoulder blades." Said Yami, his voice still steady.

"Can you pull it a little farther? This thing is more a pain to take off than put on."

"…Sure."

The man probably had no idea she was doing this on purpose. He stared unzipping the shirt again, but this time it felt like he was taking his sweet time doing so. There was a tension in the air, her own awareness of time contorting, making the moment longer than it really was. The zipper got stuck not much farther down and Yami had to tug at the top of the outfit with his other hand to allow it to move.

Yuugi could feel the cold air kissing her exposed skin, heightening her awareness that Yami was behind her. His knuckles pressed against her neck, and she wondered he could feel the tingling sensation the touch inspired in her.

With a final click, he stopped just at her lower back.

"I think that should be good enough." His voice thicker than usual.

"Yeah." Yuugi said, turning to face him. His attention was on her face, perfectly controlled without any change.

 _We'll see about that._

A moment later, that inexpressive mask on Yami's face cracked. Yuugi hiked up her legs, straddling him on the chair.

"Yuugi! What-"

She silenced him with her lips. The kiss wasn't gentle or sweet as she grabbed his face and pressed into the exchange. She had never taken such forceful intuitive before. Yami had frozen in shock. It only lasted for a split second as Yami soon responded, lips sucking and smashing against each other.

And then his hands were at her back. Her exposed back were nothing hindered the connection of skin against skin. The shirt was practically falling from her shoulders. His hands easily slipped under the cloth, wandering up and down her spine. Every time they passed her bra strap, her heart would beat an extra thump in anticipation, wondering if he would snap it apart.

There was a shift, and Yami stood up, his hands pressed into his back. Their body and lips remained connected as she felt him take a step forward, forcing her legs to scramble to find footing. It was getting harder to concentrate on the rest of her body, the inevitable heat creeping through her. His hand on her back was the only thing that stopped her form falling.

Then the back of her knees his something and he suddenly released her.

Yuugi fell backwards with a soft thump. It was the bed!

 _It's happening!_

Somehow, her crazy plan had worked. There could only be one reason to move this to the bed. As this sunk into her, another feeling settled into the pit of her stomach. An undeniable flare of panic that chased away all previous excitement.

 _Of gosh this is really happening. I'm about to have sex with Yami. We-_

Something soft but mildly heavy suddenly thumped against Yuugi, completely covering her.

It was a comforter.

Confused, Yuugi managed to peak her head out from under it.

"Oof!"

Something heavy settle on her stomach, knocking the wind out of her. It took her a second to realize it was Yami.

The man was laying across her, his eyes still flushed with excitement, whirling with shades of crimson and desire, but his posture was relaxed. He moved his face closer, and Yuugi squeezed her eyes shut by reflex.

"Now that you are properly covered." Said Yami, his voice purring in her ear. "Would you mind explaining why you are trying to kill me?"

She couldn't help shivering.

"Ummm," said Yuugi sheepishly. Why did she feeling like she was in big trouble? And why did he have to be so close to her ear! "I'm not trying to kill you."

"Then what are you doing?"

"Trying to excite you?" It came out as more of a question. She really had no confidence at all when it came to this type of thing. Slowly she opened her eyes.

Yami had withdrawn his face from her ear, still laying on top of her and he rested his chin in his palm. He was gazing at her with a quizzical expression.

"I noticed that." Said Yami. "So let me ask again, why are you trying to 'excite me?' "

Yuugi blushed furiously at his use of her words. When she said it, the phrase had sounded timid. Uncertain. But said in the deep smothering timbre of Yami's voice, it sent another shot of fire to her already red cheeks.

"I think that answer should be obvious." She said, a touch of a pout in her voice.

"It really isn't." said Yami. "Unless you're actually are ready to have sex with me."

The ease of which he said it just made Yuugi want to dig herself into a hole and never come out. As it was, she could hardly move with Yami on top of her, nearly crushing her.

"T-that is-! I mean…. C-c-c-could you please get off of me!?" she stuttered, squirming under the covers.

"No." said Yami simply.

"W-why not!?"

"Because I'm not going to let you try that again." Said Yami. "I don't think I'll be able to stop."

"T-that's okay." Said Yuugi, her cheeks still a flame.

Yami stared at her for a full ten second, unblinking. She just managed not to break eye contact, teeth pressed together in an effort to stop her trembling heart.

"I see." Said Yami, suddenly getting up.

Yuugi was taken off guard, and as such didn't move. It turned out to be a mistake as a second comforter was thrown onto her.

"Gahh!" yelled Yuugi, trying to get up, but it was in vain. Yami was on top of her again, face impassive.

"Get these off!" cried Yuugi in distress. It was becoming _really_ hot _really_ quickly.

"I will if you promise not to do that again." Said Yami.

"Yes, I promise, not get these off me!" This man was a total tease. He gave her one last grimace, no doubt gauging her sincerity before sliding off the bed.

Yuugi scrambled out from under the covers, taking a deep breath as if coming up from air.

"Make sure to zip up your shirt." Said Yami facing away from her on the bed. Yuugi grumbled, but did as he said, reaching awkwardly to do up the back. It took her a few tries, but she managed zip it back to its proper place at the base of her neck.

"I'm good." Said Yuugi.

Yami slid off the bed, walking over to his chair and stationing it in front of Yuugi. She fidgeted on the bed, expecting Yami to take the seat but he didn't. He stood behind the chair, leaning on it with one arm. She peaked out from under her bangs at him, hoping he wasn't mad at her. He didn't appear to be. He was looking at her with a certain smolder she identified as desire. It also held irritation.

A second later he straightened with a growl of frustration, pushing on the back of the seat so that it spun around. The man ran a hand through his hair, distress now evident as he looked back on Yuugi.

"Did I do something?" he said.

"What?" she blinked at him, not understanding.

"Me. Did I do something?" continued Yami, pointing at himself with a thumb. "Anything that made you feel that if you didn't have sex with me, I would leave you."

"What- no!" cried Yuugi, surprised at his reasoning.

"Because if I did, tell me what it is so I can fix it."

"Yami, not that's not why I did that." Said Yuugi, wanting him to calm down.

"Then why would you?" said Yami, gesturing at her. "It's the only reason I can think of that you'd try to temp me, especially when you've made it clear that you don't want to do it until later in our relationship."

"Maybe now _is_ 'later.' "

Yami gave a grimace. "Not by your tells it's not. You're still scared."

Yuugi might have normally bristled at the comment, except he had hit it right on. She was still scared, and after being caught in her attempt to seduce him she was feeling especially ashamed. Her mood was dropping with every step Yami took, pacing around the room as he interrogated her. This wasn't what she wanted.

"I thought you would be happy." She grumbled under her breath.

Yami stopped in his tracks, staring at her. Then his eyes widened in understanding.

"You thought I'd- that's why you did that?" he said, sounding incredulous. "You did it because you thought I wanted to have sex with you."

"You don't exactly keep it a secret." Said Yuugi, wanting to roll her eyes at him. "You may never say it, but it's not hard to know what your thinking when you look at me like that." That, and he had tried to jump into her pants in the middle of a public street. She'd wasn't getting over that particular memory any time soon. Yami had finally stopped his pacing, one hand resting on the arm chair as he stared at her.

"Look, I just thought we could at least try it." Said Yuugi, starting to ramble in her panic "I know you want to have sex and I'm mostly just freaked because I'm a girl now and it's all so new. I just thought that maybe… I don't know. I'm just not good at talking about this. I felt terrible for always denying you. I'm your girlfriend Yami. I love you, and I don't like rejecting you."

"I can't believe this." said Yami. The man finally sank into the chair, narrowing his eyes at her. "It sounds like I pressured you into doing this."

"You didn't!" she protested. "You're a perfect gentleman, but I just…" her voice got lower as her guilt increased. "Don't like hurting you when I reject you."

"That's what this is." Said Yami, who had managed to calm down. He was leaning towards Yuugi, elbows on knees as he surveyed her. "You're projecting your feelings of rejection onto me."

"I am not!" said Yuugi, getting mad. "I just don't want to keep pushing you away! How hard is it to understand that when I hurt you, I get hurt as well!"

She hadn't realized she was yelling until the echo in the room stopped. It was a good thing Gramps wasn't home, or else he would have barged into their room ages ago to see what they were arguing about. As it was, Yami didn't react to her outburst immediately, his expression a touch sad as he continued to watch her with those red eyes

Yuugi kept his gaze locked with her own scowl. Her emotions had become raw and irritated from this conversation, embarrassment and fear making her lash out. She was trying to do what she felt was right, but now she wasn't sure what that was. If this whole scheme wasn't just a big mistake.

Yuugi bit her lip, the silence staring to get to her as her head started to cool down. Yami still hadn't moved from his position, a flood of emotions a constant in his eyes. She finally broke, looking down to stare at her own folded hands.

"Say something." She grumbled.

There was a soft rustle and Yami was brushing the bangs from her face. She glanced up to see Yami smiling at her softly. He tucked the strands behind her ear, a habit he tended to do when he was trying to calm her or sooth her worries.

"Thank you for thinking of me." He said. "But when it comes to this, please put yourself first. Never think that you owe me anything."

"But-" Yuugi started to protest, but Yami cut her off.

"Your body is yours Yuugi." his voice was firm, leaving no room for argument. "Never for a second let me guilt you -however unintended it was- into doing something you are uncomfortable with. Yes, I want to have sex with you. But only when it is something we both mutually desire."

Yuugi blinked at him for another few seconds. Then relief flooded through her. The tension almost completely leaving in one swoop. Yami was still brushing his fingers though her bangs, the motion soothing. The touch helping them connect.

"You're… not upset with me right?" she said. "You promise you're alright? You're not hurt or pushing yourself too much right?"

"I'm not some hormone driven animal who only cares about his next fling." Said Yami with a wry smile. "Trust me. When the time is right, we'll do it properly. When we both want it. Besides, I don't have any protection on me. I think your gramps would kill me if I got you pregnant while you were still in high school."

"Pregnancy." Said Yuugi, her eyes widening as her cheeks reddened. "Right. That's a possibility."

Yuugi lowered her head for a moment and Yami continued to run his fingers though her hair as she thought. She closed her eyes at his soft touch, the gentle press of his fingers on her scalp as she took a deep breath.

She raised her head, forcing Yami to retract his hand.

"I want to wait." She said firmly. "At least until after high school. I know we'd be careful but if something happened and I got pregnant before graduation… I don't think you would ever forgive yourself. Nor do I think the papers or anyone else would leave us alone about it."

"A fair point."

"Once we graduate, we'll have this conversation again." Said Yuugi. "See where we are at that point."

Yami nodded, not looking surprised or upset. "That, I can agree on."

Yuugi smiled at him, then changed it to a sly smirk.

"But seriously... I need your help getting out of this. The zipper is a pain."

"..."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **And thanks for your reviews! Guildsnake, Guest, whitlaw123, Unitato722, Walt-Disney and Anime, RenMow11, Deji princess, Blutkatze, personumberone, Bravemaridin, Rivergoddess117, Gothic girl, YOI lover, CottonCoccon, and Mistoka. I'm so flattered by your comments!  
**

 **Yah you kind of hit it on the head Deji princess, Yuugi was feeling pressure she put on herself.  
**

 **It's funny, cause I was talking to my sister about this scene and she's like: "Sister, it's not realistic that the man would be saying no in this situation."**

 **me: "It's a story! And besides, Yami is too perfect to be realistic."  
**


	106. Chapter 106

Chapter 106

Kaiba's house was too unreasonable. The place was huge, bigger than the hotel the last party had been at. Though Yuugi had been to the house before it still made her shake her head in exasperation. So much wasted space. What did the man even do with all of it? Well, besides host parties.

She leaned away from the window, brushing nervously at the folds of her skirt. It was straight, a pencil skirt Anzu had called it. The dress had a floral pattern on it, a similar color to the rest of the gray and silver fabric. It created a second layer to the dress, making it shimmer as she moved. It was sleeveless with a high V-neck, the back stooping to a respectable level. Her hair was completely loose, flattened with an alarming amount of heat from a straightening iron. At least she could tuck her bangs behind her ears as needed.

"Alright." Said Yuugi, squeezing the hand of her boyfriend. "Remember our goal."

Yami returned the gesture, his firm composure giving her more strength. He sat in the driver seat beside her. His suit was completely black, the shirt beneath it white, wearing a black tie. Simple. Classic. Which was their style for the night.

"No matter what happens tonight, we do this the way we want to." Said Yami.

Yuugi nodded. "Together."

* * *

"There's the news team." Said Yami.

Yami and Yuugi had entered the main room where the party was being held. There was a group of reporters and a camera near a balcony. It appeared the interviews were being hosted with the window in the background. Smart. It would make sure nothing in the background would distract from the interview.

"Kanna will signal us over when it's our turn." Said Yami. "Depending on how things go, our interview could be very interesting."

"That's an understatement." Said Yuugi with a laugh. They had managed to get in contact with the reporters, promising an interview more towards the end of the night. Kanna had been more than happy to accommodate them, excited to get a story. Not surprising, as Yami and Yuugi were turning out to be a juicy source of gossip. Several other articles had been written by different papers and websites since the paint incident. Even a few talk shows and news teams had discussed the pictures, but there hadn't yet been a video interview.

It was intimidating to see news reporters and celebrities gossip about her life. Because of the size of the Sennen company - and Yami's good looks she might add - the subject was popular. Yuugi had to shake off her bottled up nerves when she thought about it. If she wanted to be part of Yami's life, she'd have to get used to the attention.

"How about we dance for a bit?" said Yami. "To help settle your nerves."

"I hate dancing." Said Yuugi.

"To help settle my nerves?"

"You just want to dance with me. Admit it."

"Guilty as charged."

Yuugi rolled her eyes, but couldn't help smiling as Yami led her out to the mostly empty dance floor. Yuugi hadn't graduated from a simple waltz, yet with Yami leading, it probably looked better than it felt. He had gotten really good at leading her.

"Vivian isn't here yet." Said Yuugi, glancing around. "Neither are you parents. Or a lot of guests now that I look."

"They'll be here soon, don't worry." Said Yami, eyes still on her even as Yuugi's attention wandered. "Just enjoy the moment."

She decided to do just that.

She returned her attention to Yami, basking in the moment.

A few minutes later, the song ended, and Yami led her off the dance floor.

"You ready?" said Yami.

Yuugi shot him a wink. "Of course."

Their strategy was simple. Come to the party, show that Yuugi wasn't ashamed of the nasty article and that they were still a couple, talk and make friends, and one by one get more people on her side. There were a few other plans mixed into it as well, but those were only for extreme circumstances. She hoped those didn't happen.

* * *

 _"_ _Only you would come up with such a simple plan." Yami had said, shaking his head at her._

 _"_ _Are you saying it a bad plan?" she retorted._

 _"_ _No. Just that it's like you. To always have a heart to heart, hope it will change people's opinion. It worked for some of your bullies after all. And it's how you specifically make friends Yuugi."_

 _"_ _You know I'm not a confrontational person by nature."_

* * *

"There's Jou and Kaiba." said Yuugi, pointing to the side of the room. The two were standing by each other, though Jou was noticeably leaning away from the brunette. They were currently surrounded by people, no doubt the many colleagues that Kaiba had invited. His little brother, Mokuba was also there. He stood proudly beside his brother, looking like a small businessman. He had inherited the Kaiba gift for poise, that was for sure.

"We'll talk to them later." Said Yami. "We should start greeting people."

Yuugi agreed, following Yami as he made eye contact with someone and walked up to them. She recognized them. Oh, she had met them at the previous party… what was their name? That's right!

"I see you're no longer wearing your wrist brace Haruhi-san." Said Yuugi.

The man looked surprised, examining his wrist for a moment before letting out an appreciative laugh. "Yeah, the doctors finally said I could take that blasted thing off. It had been there for so long I was afraid it would merge with my skin."

"But I bet they set you back to work the second it was off." Said Yuugi.

The man rolled his eyes. "Not a minute after. I swear, if I didn't respect Yamauchi so much I would have quit years ago."

Yuugi gave an appreciate laugh, the conversation flowing from there. They talked with Haruhi for a few more minutes before some other friends hailed him and they moved on to find someone else. She gave a small breath.

"How was that?" she asked.

"Perfect." Said Yami with a smile. "Let's hope all of our encounters will be like that."

Yuugi nodded, preparing herself to talk to someone else. Another part of their plan included maintaining friendly contact with everyone that had been kind to Yuugi previously. Strengthen their allies and then work on placating their enemies.

They spoke to a few more people, Yuugi managing to remember a thing or two about them from the last conversation. She was starting to feel good about the evening when something caught her eye. Her stomach dropped.

Yami's parents were talking to Dartz. She had to first scold herself for not noticing when Izumi had arrived, and then scold herself again for the stupid thing she had said to Dartz's son at the last party. Indeed, Rafael was standing by his father as well.

He hadn't said anything about her rude behavior at the last party, but would he say something now?

Yami noticed her inattention, nudging her slightly.

"Ah, sorry." Said Yuugi, apologizing both to Yami and the person they were talking to. "I just saw your parents. I didn't realize they had arrived."

Yami's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, flickering to his parents before returning to Yuugi. He was trying to figure out why she was being more self-conscious about them than usual.

The couple they were talking to now glanced over their shoulder as well, curious at their sudden change of topic.

"You didn't come together with them?" said the husband with a curious look towards Yami. "I wonder if the rumors are true then. Izumi doesn't approve of your relationship with Yuugi."

"She's cautious, as a mother should be." Replied Yuugi, opting for a twisting of the truth. They didn't need to know Izumi only cared about the business and not her actual son. "Yami has a lot to offer that could tempt a woman to approach him for the wrong reasons."

The main raised an eyebrow in surprise. He hadn't expected Yuugi to be the one to comment or bring up the obvious reason why Izumi wouldn't approve.

"Yes, and there are people who would offer a lot more to the company If Yami chose someone else." Said the man, now speaking to Yuugi. "I know Izumi was hoping for someone with better qualifications than the granddaughter of a single store owner for her son's future partner."

Yuugi felt Yami's grip in her hand stiffen. She pinched him discreetly, hoping he wouldn't jump down the man's throat for the comment. He gave a slight jerk, eyes sliding to her before he grimaced. He got her silent plea, but he wasn't happy about it.

"Then there are those other things people are saying." Continued the man. If he had noticed their subtle exchange, he ignored it. "There have been some rumors you've been cheating on Yami."

"What!?"

Where had that come from? She exchanged looks with Yami, who looked troubled. The couple noticed the confusion. The wife fished out her phone to scroll through it before finding the article. She held it out to them.

"Here, this came out this morning." She said with a sympathetic grimace. "It's not a pretty article."

Yuugi hurriedly took the phone, scrolling through the contents quickly. Yami read over her shoulder. The farther she read, the worse it got. By the end of the article, her hands were shaking so badly she was afraid she might throw the phone across the room while screaming in frustration. She was surprised Yami hadn't already done so. She could feel the anger rolling off him, his eyes narrowed.

She reached the end, feeling slightly sick. There was a picture of her, tangled up in someone's arms as she kissed them furiously. Someone that wasn't Yami.

* * *

 **Hello my dears!**

 **Thank you for reading, and thank you for your patience. I had some life things happen coupled with writer's block. That is why it took me so long to update, but now we should be back on track. I plan on finishing this up properly and put you all out of your misery!**

 **And of course, special thanks to those that took the time to review the last chapter! Hiei Dragon Girl, Guest, Jaylonni Love, Phoenix Flametail, Rey129, CottonCoccon, Blutkatze, personumberone, Mistoka, Guest, and whitlaw123!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	107. Chapter 107

Chapter 107

Yuugi stared at the picture, wondering where in the world they had gotten it. She had never held anyone like that except Yami, and even than she tried to be more discrete than obvious with their public affection. She couldn't tell who the other person was supposed to be, but it definitely wasn't Yami. The picture only showed the back of the person. Yuugi's face wasn't terribly clear, though her unique hair made it easy to identify it was her… or was it?

Yuugi held the phone closer to her face, squinting at the picture. Something just felt off about it.

She looked up to ask Yami about it, but the question died in her throat. Yami's face was a perfect mask. Not a single shred of emotion showing through. Oh heck, that meant he was pissed beyond reason! The couple was watching them closely, probably measuring their reactions to determine the truth.

 _What should I do?_ She was panicking now. How was she supposed to diffuse this situation? She obviously wasn't cheating on Yami and he knew that, right? He wasn't angry because he believed the article, was he?

Blessedly Yami said something, his voice and face calm.

"It seems someone got a little carried away with photo shop." Said Yami, taking the phone from Yuugi and handing it back to the wife. "I'm astounded anyone had the guts to go with a piece like this. It's flat out slander."

"You're saying that the article is a lie." Said the man, still watching them closely.

"Of course it is!" said Yuugi. "I would never cheat on Yami. Or do any of these other things the article mentioned."

In general, the article talked about Yuugi and how she slept around out with other men. Women too! It was obvious they were trying to make her out to be a slut that was stringing Yami along.

The couple nodded their heads, almost patronizingly. It was obvious they didn't believe Yuugi. Was this going to be everyone's reaction?

Before they could say much else, a small group of people came over, hailing the couple. One of the women, a tall pretty blonde dripping in diamonds turned their attention on Yuugi a moment later.

"Ah, you're the guy who's been cheating on Yami Sennen." She said, with a smirk.

"Angela, that's rude." Said a younger man, probably in his early twenties. He sent Yami and Yuugi an apologetic smile. "Please excuse her, she's already had a good amount to drink for the night."

"Shut it, I've barely had two glasses." Pouted the woman, turning her attention back to them. "And what's wrong with being upfront with my opinion? It's gross that someone who emerged so late is chasing after men."

"It is a little odd." Said another person.

"It's disgusting is what it is. Honestly people who emerge so late in life should just be put away somewhere we don't have to deal with them."

Some of the other friends gave either sounds of assent or vocalized some other comment about emerged females. Yuugi looked left and right, seeing the same thing no matter where her gaze fell. Smirks, disapproval, and people towering over her with their haughty expressions and eyes of pity. They all believed the article. They all through she was a freak.

Yuugi could feel her face heating up, the telltale burn in her eyes that said she was about to cry. This was too much.

"If you'll excuse us-"

Yuugi flinched at the tone. Yami spoke deeply, sharp and with so much authority it made all the adults shut up. She presumed they were all looking at him. Her own eyes were lowered.

"-I believe we've listened to enough of your bullshit."

Yuugi's eyes widened. She had never heard Yami swear at anyone at these parties. Except at Marik maybe. It was a mark of how mad Yami was that he had dropped his formal dialect. He took her arm a second later, leading her firmly away from the group.

As they walked away, she couldn't help overhearing what they were saying.

"Wow, she's got him completely ensnared."

"She must know her trade well."

"What a whore."

"I thought better of the Sennen heir."

"He turned out to be such a disappointment."

That was it.

Yuugi tugged herself out of Yami's grasp, marching back up to the group. Her almost-tears were gone, frustration now fueling her emotions. She planted herself in front of the group, pointing at the blonde that had been insulting them.

"I don't care what sort of crap you say about me." She said. "Or the obvious lies you chose to believe, but don't you dare insult Yami. If I stood here and insulted your face for five minutes, I would expect any respectable boyfriend or husband to defend you. He has done nothing that a compassionate considerate person wouldn't do in this type of situation. If that is such a foreign concept to you, then I suggest you redefine what it means to be human."

Yuugi didn't even look to see their reactions. She just turned and marched away back toward Yami, her face burning with anger and humiliation. Shoot, she had just run her mouth off without thinking. She could already tell that hadn't been the best idea.

Yami was waiting patiently for her, some of his anger diminished. She couldn't hear what the group was saying behind her, too focused on Yami to care to listen. No doubt they were insulting her some more.

He took her arm, and the two of them walked out of the party room. They both needed to cool down and talk about what they were going to do. As they walked, Yuugi felt as if everyone was watching them. Whispering. Judging. She hoped it was just paranoia.

They reached one of the adjoining rooms, this one currently empty. A set of glass double doors separated the area from the main ball room. It had chairs and tables, no doubt for those that wanted to eat their food in a more secluded place.

Yami pulled out a chair at one of the tables, indicating for Yuugi to take the seat. She did so, Yami taking a chair next to her. He still hadn't said anything, leaning back and staring at the opposite wall. One hand was pressed over his lips in through while his eyes gleamed with a surprised rage.

His sudden inattention to her brought back all Yuugi's previous fears. Oh shoot, he didn't believe that picture, did he?

"Yami." She said quietly. "You know that picture is fake, right?"

He finally looked at her, and she saw the same calculating expression in him that she had seen in the others. Her stomach dropped, an ache shooting through her chest.

"Has anyone forced a kiss on you?" he asked.

"No!" said Yuugi, completely flustered. "Do you honestly think I would have been able to keep something like that a secret?" She'd probably squirm and freak every time she saw him. The guilt probably would have eaten at her until she had finally broken down and told him what had happened. Thankfully it hadn't.

"No, you wouldn't." said Yami, looking away. He was brooding, an obvious haze of annoyance hanging around him.

Yuugi scooted closer. "Yami. That picture is a fake. It wasn't me."

"I know." He said, still not looking at her. "My head knows it, but I was surprised…"

His hands were bawled into fist. It was obvious he was having a hard time keeping his temper down. She now understood why he was mad. If she had seen a picture of Yami kissing someone, she would be upset, even if she knew it was a fake. He was no doubt also berating himself for being angry at her when she hadn't done anything to deserve it.

Yuugi placed a hand over his clenched fist, rubbing soothing circles around it. She stayed silent, waiting for Yami cool down as they sat in the dining room. Slowly, his fist relaxed, and his eyes softened.

He finally turned his attention back to her.

"Sorry." He said. "I shouldn't have lost my head."

"You're not the only one that did." Said Yuugi with a grimace. "It looks like we have more damage control than we thought tonight."

Yami nodded. He suddenly pulled her into a kiss. It was dominating, commanding and forceful. It surprised her, and she almost let out a squeak and the sudden aggression. She knew he was expressing his claim over her, frustrated with the picture. He grabbed her waist, pulling her closer to his seat until she was on his lap. She wasn't even trying to keep up with is tempo, being swallowed by him. There was an odd satisfaction in being kissed like this. Knowing that he wanted claim and control over her.

He stopped a moment later, not pulling away from. They had only kissed for a few seconds, but wow that had been… amazing!

"Sorry." He muttered. "Not the best time or place but… that picture annoyed me."

"I understand." Said Yuugi, leaning into to give him a soft kiss. It was sweet and gentle, expressing her love for him. She smiled into to it, and could feel him doing the same.

"You two do realize you're in public."

Yami let out a groan, closing his eyes as if sending a silent prayer. Yuugi blushed furiously, jumping off Yami's lap and smoothing down her dress. It did nothing to stop the huge evil grin spreading across Marik's face.

"There was no one else here until you rudely interrupted." Said Yami, perfectly composed. Frustrating man. She wanted that talent.

"Better me than someone else." Said Marik, jabbing a thumb over his finger. "At least a few people walked past after you two came in here. I hope you weren't making out the whole time because that would just be awkward." He looked entirely too happy as he said it.

"Then it's a good thing we weren't." said Yami, standing up and pulling out his phone. "I need to make a few calls. Can you watch Yuugi for a bit?"

"What are you going to do?" said Yuugi.

"I'm calling some people about that picture." Said Yami, already dialing. "They should be able to prove it was doctored up and who was responsible for the piece. If we need to we can sue whoever did it for- Hi, yes. I need you to look into something for me."

Yami walked off, giving him some privacy to make the phone call. Yuugi patted her hair down nervously, hoping it wasn't tangled. In this matter, she had to completely rely on Yami for resources. She didn't have anything that could help prove her innocence. It sucked being unable to do anything.

"What's got pretty boy's tie in a knot?" said Marik.

"Another stupid article." Said Yuugi. "It says I'm cheating on Yami and has a picture with me kissing a random man."

Marik started laughing, an evil cackle that made Yuugi want to hit him. In fact, she did.

"This isn't funny." She hit him again for good measure. "If they have a picture, people will believe it's true, even if Yami proves it to be fake."

Marik continued to cackle. "He's probably pissed. It's a good thing you're in public Yuugi or else he would have pounced on you."

Yuugi turned red, looking away as she grumbled. "That isn't- We should be focusing on how to defuse this mess."

"Hmm, yeah we do." Said Marik. "Out of all the things you guys planned for, you didn't prepare for this?"

"A huge oversight, I know." Sighed Yuugi. She motioned for Marik to follow her, and the two of them left the side room and re-entered the main ball room. It was pretty much the same as before, people mingling with each other and a few dancing. Her traitorous eyes wandered to the group they had been conversing with earlier. No one was there. Well, that should be a good thing. It meant the group had dispersed or gone somewhere else to talk shi-

 _Oh dear._

She had just spotted one of the men that had been in the group talking with Rafael. She recognized him as the one who had briefly scolded the blonde for picking on Yuugi. The man had spiky brown hair and massive sideburns that extended past his chin. The two were talking intently, Rafael sending a glance their way. Yuugi froze when their glances connected. He had noticed her looking.

She quickly turned her attention back to Marik, forgetting what they had been talking about. If the brunet told Rafael about her tantrum in front of the group, it would be another piece of ammo the man had against her. Not that there wasn't already plenty of that flying around, but still. He had previously shown that he enjoyed holding the info over her head. Like a morbid executioner lowering the guillotine only to stop it right before it sliced through her neck… Maybe he and Marik would get along great.

"I mean, you guys planned for public humiliation, spiked drinks, secret recordings-" Marik was saying, counting things off his fingers. "Vivian's drones, corrupted body guards…" he trailed off, his attention shifting to somewhere over Yuugi's shoulder. She recognized the line of sight.

Preparing herself with what she was sure to see, she turned her attention back to the two men. Not only were they both looking at her, but Rafael was almost upon them. His eyes were fixed on her making it impossible to misinterpret his intention to talk with her.

* * *

 **Thank you all for reading!**

 **And a huge thank you to you that took the time to review! Deji princess, whitlaw123, Guildsnake, Phoenix F, Mistoka, personumberone, Mage, CottonCoccon, and guest. I'm beyond pumped to see some of you still eager to read this after it took me so long to update. So thank you!**

 **-King of Doors.**


	108. Chapter 108

Chapter 108

When Rafael reached them, he gave a polite bow in greeting. "Good evening Yuugi. It is good to see you again."

"You as well." Said Yuugi automatically. It didn't escape her attention that the man basically ignored Marik. It increased the already building tension as she could feel the disapproval rolling off of Marik.

"I heard you had an interesting conversation with some of my brother's friends." Said Rafael, either ignorant or choosing the disregard the dark look Marik was giving him.

"Ah." Said Yuugi, glancing back at the brunette over Rafael's' shoulder. So they were related. They didn't look it. "I didn't realize you had a brother." She chose to steer away from the topic of her tantrum.

"I have two." Said Rafael.

Marik gave a dark chuckle. "Yea, and each one is a bastard like you."

Yuugi could have kicked him. It did turn Rafael's icy expression away from her and onto Marik, eyes darkening. He didn't say anything, but it was more telling than if he had shot a comeback at Marik. Instead they held each others gaze; Marik gritting his teeth with fire in his eyes, and Rafael, a frosty calm that froze the soul. Yuugi squirmed in their presence, feeling uncomfortable.

Finally, Rafael broke the gaze, turning his attention back to Yuugi. His face smoothed as if they hadn't been interrupted.

"Would you care to dance?"

Yuugi blinked. "Excuse me?" Had she heard him correctly?

While she was busy trying to wrap her head around the question, Marik butted in again.

"She's not going anywhere with you." Said Marik, placing a protective hand on Yuugi's shoulder. "Now why don't you go rejoin your brother and his group of whores?"

Rafael didn't even acknowledge Marik's taunt, eyes still on Yuugi. A small smile tweaked at the corner of his mouth.

"Is this how you plan on gaining approval?" he said. "By letting others speak for you?"

That one managed to get under Yuugi's skin, and she wasn't the only one based on Marik's stream of colorful language that basically told Rafael to go F himself. She tuned out his defense on her behalf as she considered the man before her. He was definitely an enemy, and a sly one at that. Was it possible that he also had something to do with the rumors and schemes directed to diminish her reputation?

If he was, she needed to find out what and why.

"Sure, I'll dance with you." Said Yuugi, moving to step forward, but she was yanked back by Marik.

"Hey, what's the deal?" he said.

She appreciated his concern, but Rafael was unfortunately right. She needed to act if she wanted to fight back and get approval, and that meant doing what she could, little as it already was. She needed assess this possible enemy.

She carefully removed Marik's hand from her shoulder.

"Let Yami know where I am." She said. "I'll be fine."

Marik didn't look convinced, but he released her with a shrug, lacing his fingers behind his head. "I'm not taking the blame on this one when he come back pissed."

Yuugi waved him off, stepping up next to Rafael, whose calculating eyes were still fixed on her. He held out a hand, and she boldly placed her own in his palm, allowing him to lead her out to the dance floor.

Their walk was short and silent. In that span of time, she noticed several things; A few people staring, including Rafael's brother and one of the women who had been in the group Yuugi had yelled at. Izumi, watching even as she conversed beside her husband. Vivian, whose presence had eluded Yuugi's notice till now. She looked entirely too smug in her dress, a revealing slit down the sternum indicated she was definitely not wearing a bra.

And then there was Rafael.

The man was somewhat similar to Yami. He had the same stoic imposing aura, one that commanded the attention of a room without trying. While he didn't have the same exquisite appearance that Yami did, his height made up the difference.

They reached the floor, a lovely waltz playing the background. For a half second, Yuugi forgot what she was supposed to do and froze up. Rafael didn't seem to notice. He deftly adjusted their hands, placing her in position with a push on her back. Her body naturally remembered what to do, and she found herself dancing with someone very difference in physique than anyone she had danced with before. Both Yami and Marik were shorter and less thick than Rafael. She hadn't realized how different it was dancing with someone so obviously larger than her.

They slowly waltzed, Yuugi tried not to count under her breath as she kept her eyes fixed on the man's shoulder. Dancing was hella intimate, especially with a stranger. Their bodies were naturally closer than she would have liked.

After a minute, she chanced a glance at Rafael, curious that he wasn't speaking. She met his eyes and quickly returned her gaze to his shoulder, wondering if he had been watching her the whole time.

"What's your brother's name?" said Yuugi, the silence getting to her.

"Valon." Said Rafael.

"You're the eldest?"

"I am." He said. "Though we're all close in age."

"I see." Yuugi licked her lips, wondering how she could steer the conversation to finding out more information. To determine if he was a true enemy.

"What about you?" said Rafael.

Yuugi was thrown by the question, looking up at him automatically. "What about me?" she said.

Rafael smirked. "Siblings. Do you have any?"

That… was a strangely normal question. Was he trying to throw her off? She shook her head, unable to help a small smile. "No, I'm an only child. My parents died when I was young and I grew up with my gramps. Though, I've known Yami for so long it feels like he's family. Along with some of my other friends. I constantly forget I'm an only child."

Rafael's smirk fell. "Lucky for you then, that they are here to support you during all the scandals."

"I wouldn't call them scandals." Said Yuugi, a little irritated.

"Then what would you call them?"

"Lies." She said. "and exaggerated truths meant to stir trouble and chase me away."

Rafael let out a deep chuckle, obviously laughing at her. She felt her face turn red as he openly mocked her.

"What, you think I'm lying?" she said. "Do you believe along with everyone else, the garbage in those articles instead of seeking out the truth?"

"Who knows?" said Rafael. "But you shouldn't think it's all about you."

"I don't think, I know." Said Yuugi, glaring pointedly at him. "Or at least, it's directed to get rid of me. I'd be naive not to recognize when I'm being targeted."

"Perhaps." Said Rafael, unruffled by her anger. "But you shouldn't be surprised. An emerged female with no money and no background dating the heir to the Sennen company. You're a potential target for all sorts of prejudice and juicy gossip. The papers would not be doing their job if they let this slide without digging their nails into it."

"You sound like you're defending their actions."

"Just stating the reality of the situation." He said smoothly. "And the great opportunity it presents for some."

"Does that include you?"

She said it without thinking. She kept her face perfectly still as she watched his amusement slowly die, his attention roaming around her face. Then he smiled again, arrogantly with an inner triumph on his lips.

"Yes, I definitely does." He said.

The candid answer took her back. She stopped dancing, forcing Rafael to stop as well lest he bowl her over. The music ended a second later, the flow of the dance floor changing as couples entered and exited.

"Would you mind leading me back?" said Yuugi, taking a step away. "I'd like to return to my boyfriend."

The man held out an elbow, and she recognized the silent challenge. Not wanting to lose face, she slipped her arm through his offered arm and he led her away from the dance floor. She spotted Yami in the crowd, standing beside and Marik and Mal.

He didn't look happy.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **And special thanks to those that leave reviews! Guest 1, 2, and 3, whitlaw123, TheDigitalDork, Guildsnake, Deji princess, Phoenix Flametail, CottonCoccon, Blutkatze, and Mistoka.** **You are all lovely! Life is still busy but I will never abandon a project. It is a promise I have made to myself in irritation at all the wonderful fics that stand unfinished on this website. It hurts my soul to see them.  
**


	109. Chapter 109

Chapter 109

Yuugi tried not to hurry as they walked toward Yami. Her and Rafael had moved a good distance away while they had been dancing.

"If you want to stop the rumors and bad press." Said Rafael suddenly. "Then you shouldn't give them cause. Associating with Kisara or dancing with another man besides Yami will not help your situation."

Dancing with another man eh? It looks like she just figured out the reason for his sudden request to dance with her. Perhaps Vivian had paid him to get close to Yuugi. Claim that he was a secret lover she had been using to cheat on Yami.

"Thank you for your kind concern." Said Yuugi flatly. "But I won't let the papers dictate who my friends and associates are. To let them do so would be cowardice. And it would hurt Kisara. That would be worse than any doctored up photo the papers could create."

Rafael's smile grew, along with Yuugi's irritation. She was past done talking to this man.

They reached the side of the floor and Yuugi immediately detached herself from Rafael. She smoothly slid into place beside Yami, who put and arm around her waist without removing his harsh glare from Rafael.

"What did you want with my girlfriend, Rafael?" said Yami, skipping the pleasantries completely.

"Just to talk and dance." Said Rafael. "You've got quite the catch, though you should be more careful. Someone else might try to snatch her up."

Yami's grip on Yuugi's waist tightened. She could feel his rage and jealousy through his hot fingers, fueled by Rafael's taunts and the fake photo. Rafael was probably doing it on purpose. Trying to create tension between her and Yami.

"You've had your dance." Said Yami, voice hard. "Now you can go."

Rafael ignored Yami, now looking at the other two present. Mal and Marik were both close by, the latter displaying open hate. Mal just looked bored.

"Again, you have interesting associates Yuugi." he said, eyes on Mal.

"Mal is a friend." She corrected him.

"To you, maybe." Said Rafael. "But for Sennen and his adopted brother, I wonder if they would agree."

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean?" spat Marik.

Rafael was now smirking at Mal, ignoring Marik. It only served to increase Marik's irritation as him. "Are you aware, Malik Ishtar, that the Sennens have been attempting to come to a consensus on a business deal with your family for months? Or that it was recently reconciled because your sister is pleased that you were finally able to find friends? Specifically, with these three right here." Rafael gestured to Yuugi, Yami and Marik.

Yuugi couldn't speak for the other two, but this was news to her. Her initial spark of anger toward Rafael for making it seem like their friendship was based off a business venture was smothered as panic settled in instead. What would Mal think? As Rafael had spoken, Mal's expression had worsened. Did Mal believe him?

"You know, I think I may need to get my ears checked." Said Marik, stepping toward Rafael as he pointedly cleaned out an ear. "For a moment there, it sounded like you were suggesting that me and Yami have got hidden agendas."

"And do you not?" said Rafael. "Are the Sennens not famous for extorting every possible avenue to further themselves?"

Marik moved quickly, grabbing Rafael by the front of his suit. Yami was there a second later, trying to pry Marik off Rafael as he snarled insults into the blonde's face. Rafael didn't even try to fight back, instead calmly glaring as Marik kept trying to bat off Yami.

"Marik, stop!" said Yuugi, grabbing hold of Marik's other arm to try and help. Her little body was ineffective as she ended up getting jostled away from their scuffle.

"Marik, learn to control yourself! He's trying to goad you into a fight." Scolded Yami.

"Let go of me Yami, I'm going to kill him."

Then someone else stepped in. Mal grabbed Marik by the back of the hair and yanked hard.

That did the trick, as Marik was jerked back with a painful yelp. Mal still had a hand of Marik's hair as he turned a venomous expression to Marik.

"Stop flying off the handle every time someone insults you." Said Mal. "Honestly you have the emotional threshold of a two-year-old."

Marik harshly shoved Mal's hand away. "I'm not going to stand still when this pansy is talking shit about things he doesn't even understand."

"Welcome to life." Said Mal dryly. "Everyone talks shit. And you know what, I'm honestly not sure how much of it is that."

That made Marik pause. He turned toward Mal now, completely ignoring Yuugi and the other two, who had turned into spectators as the drama began to unfold due to Rafael's accusations.

"What, you believe him?" said Marik, jabbing a rude finger towards Rafael. "You think your family has anything to do with us?"

"First, there is no us." Said Mal, looking away as his cheeks slightly heated up.

"Bull." Said Marik. "I know the other night didn't mean something to you."

There was a light in Mal's eyes as he returned his gaze to Marik, and it wasn't a pleasant one. It promised pain if approached without caution and care. Unfortunately, that's exactly what Marik did. He reached out, for whatever reason Yuugi would never find out. Mal slipped past the hand, advancing on Marik until he was in his face. They were almost nose to nose, their argument staring to draw attention. Yuugi almost stepped up to interfere, but thought better of it.

"I know you talked to my sister." Said Mal, voice a low growl. "I overheard you both weeks ago." Then his voice changed to a higher falsetto. " 'thank you for being such a good friend to Mal, he's been so lonely since he moved here.' Does that sound familiar to you?"

"Do you really think I want you because of some stupid business deal?" Said Marik. "Your sister can go to hell for all I care."

"Don't talk about my sister like that!"

"What? She's the one going around thanking people for taking care of you. As if you were some pathetic charity case."

The fire ignited.

Mal drew back his fist and socked it hard into Marik's jaw.

The man stumbled back, shaking his head as if to clear the stars from his eyes. By the time he had righted himself, Mal was already halfway across the room, back straight as he walked quickly through the throng of people.

Marik let out a jumble of curses, nursing his sore jaw as he stomped the other direction.

Yuugi watched them leave, wanting to sigh a lifetime worth of sighs. Marik was an idiot.

"I'll take Mal?" said Yuugi to Yami.

He nodded. "I'll get Marik. Meet you back here?"

"Sounds good."

The two of them split up, each chasing after their respective friends. Yuugi didn't forget to send Rafael a flat look.

"Please refrain from pissing of my friends in the future." Said Yuugi. "I've got enough drama as it is."

Yuugi didn't wait for an answer. She didn't care. She wanted to get to Mal to try and dissolved the situation.

It wasn't hard to find him. She spotted him exiting the ballroom, slipping past a set of double doors. She only had to turn one corner to see him stomping back and forth in one of the antechambers. His half-grumbled exclamations could almost be discerned amidst all the expletives.

"I didn't even know you had a sister." Said Yuugi, partially to announce her presence.

Mal stopped, glancing at Yuugi for a moment before continuing his pacing, this time in more coherent ramblings.

"She's fifteen years older than me." he grumbled. "More like a mother than a sister. Or at least she tries too hard to be."

Yuugi took a seat in one of the plush chairs, neatly smoothing down her skirt. She was calm compared to Mal's still wild anger.

"I remember you wanted to talk to me about something at Ryou's impromptu engagement party." Said Yuugi. "Was it about this?"

"Yes, and no." he said. "I had just over heard Ishizu talking to Marik and… I don't know. I wasn't sure if you hadn't befriended me on purpose. To gain favor with the Sennens."

"I'm not going to lie, I'm kind of hurt you would think that about me." said Yuugi. Then she thought about it. "But it does seem a stretch that I just _happened_ to harass you in a store and become friends with you. Then I just _happened_ to be the heir to the Sennen company's girlfriend. But that's only if you look at it from the outside."

Mal finally stopped, running a hand over his face. "I know." He said with a tired sigh. "I don't think you were pretending to be my friend. Or anyone else really. I just… it was hard not to doubt you know? I'm… What my sister said…" he trailed off again, taking a few moments to gather himself. He finally turned fully toward Yuugi, nothing but true sincerity in his gaze. The man was rambling, obviously spewing everything that had been on his mind for the last weeks. Finally getting the chance to remove the load off his chest.

"You were the first real friend I made in years Yuugi." said Mal. "I hated it here. I was home schooled so I didn't know many people. The prissy stuck up rich folks here just grated on my nerves. I didn't belong. I was different. I missed Egypt. I just wanted to go home but I couldn't." he rubbed the back of his neck, evidently embarrassed. "Then I met you, and well.. I was more bullied into becoming your friend than anything else."

Yuugi chuckled in agreement, and Mal gave a slight smile. "I have no idea what possessed you to befriend me…" he said. "but because of you, I don't feel so lonely. I finally have friends... And I even began to give Marik a chance." he said the last bit offhandedly, a slight pink in his cheeks. Silly Mal, he was so transparent right now.

"He had been harassing you at the bar for weeks if I remember correctly." Said Yuugi.

Mal rolled his eyes. "He had been a brat about it too. Always assuming I'd roll over and say yes to anything he suggested. Anyway, I just freaked when I thought about it all being fake. And I was humiliated. It's like Marik said. I felt like a charity case."

Mal deflated, looking more lifeless compared to his previous ramblings. Yuugi hopped off the seat, pulling Mal into a hug. The man squirmed in the hold, but didn't push away despite having the strength to do so.

"What is it with you and Marik constantly trying to hug me?" said Mal, though there was a weak smile in his voice.

"I can't help it." Said Yuugi. "You're so cute I want to keep you."

"Please don't call me cute."

"Precious?"

He let out a sound of exasperation, but one hand came up to pat Yuugi's head affectionately. Yuugi's grin grew as she tightened her hold on him.

"Geeze Yuugi! Don't break me."

"You know that's not what me and Marik think about you, right?" said Yuugi.

"I know." Said Mal. "Marik's just an idiot sometimes, and so am I."

"Yes, yes you both are."

She finally released him, noticing how much calmer he looked. More openly happy than she had ever seen him.

"Admit it, you like him." Said Yuugi, unable to help herself from teasing Mal.

She didn't get to hear his reply. Mal's expression suddenly worsened, his gaze somewhere over Yuugi's shoulder. She barely had time to register his strange response when something was pressed over her mouth and nose. She screeched, her voice muffled by a strange smelling cloth. She accidentally inhaled, and then darkness fell.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **And thank you for those that took the time to review! TheDigitalDork, Guest 1 and 2, whitlaw123, Mistoka, Phoenix Flametail, metallicbubblesand Deji princess! You guys are the bestest ever! I'm really happy to hear from you all, especially those that review so regularly. I look forward to your responses the most. XD**


	110. Chapter 110

Chapter 110

It took a while for Yuugi to wake up. She felt groggy, something nagging at her. She couldn't understand what her brain was trying to tell her. Something important no doubt. Something that made her stomach turn. She started shifting, feeling more awake with every move.

Someone shook her shoulder, and her eyes flew open in alarm.

 _I was kidnapped!_

That completely frantic conclusion was the first thing that came to her as her mind cleared. She remembered everything. Talking to Mal, then someone sticking a cloth over her mouth… speaking of Mal.

It looked like she was laying on top of him.

He was passed out, his suit gone and shirt unbuttoned with his chest peeking through. A bruise was starting to from under his chin, hair splayed out on the love seat. What the heck!

"The damsel finally woke up."

Yuugi whipped her head around.

A man, dressed in the black tux of a server towered over Yuugi and Mal. He was huge, leering over her like a hungry predator plying with their food. A large scar marked his face, drawn down the side and through his eye. Yuugi shied away, every alarm in her body going off. She knew bullies at a glance, but this man was much more dangerous than that. This man was a hitman. A thug that would hurt, steal and kill for money.

The man grabbed her arm, halting her attempts to scramble away. His touch alone made her freeze up with fright, and with a jolt of terror, she realized her dress had been unzipped. The shoulders had been slipped off, the top of the dress hanging down just above her bra. Her discomforted doubled until she was too scared to move, terrified at how exposed she was to the man.

"That's right." Drawled the man. "Nice and easy. Don't want to hurt you if you try to get away."

Yuugi let out a whimper.

The man let go, her skin still burning from where he had touched her. He thankfully walked away, and Yuugi took a moment to learn how to breathe again. She was trying _so_ hard not to hyperventilate from fight. She tried to focused on something else. The room! She could get a better look at her surroundings.

If she had to guess, it appeared she was still in Kaiba's mansion. The room was large, with twin love seats facing each other in the center of the room. Book shelves ran along one wall filled with globes, statues and an assortment of encyclopedias. There was even a piano in the corner, closed and tucked away as if it hadn't been touched in years. She didn't recognize this particular room, but the furnishing and décor was similar to the rest of the house.

There were no windows, but there were two doors, one to her right and one straight ahead. Each was guarded by two other men dressed in similar serving outfits as the man that had woken her up.

That made five men in total.

As scar face talked into a walkie talkie, Yuugi repositioned herself on the couch, trying hard not to hurt Mal.

That's when she found out her hands were tied behind her back.

She slipped, cursing when she kneed Mal in the thigh. The man grunted in annoyance, eyes fluttering open.

"Mal?" Yuugi whispered. "Sorry, you alright?"

The man blinked at her, unfocused. "Yuugi…" he said slowly. "What the… there was a man and he-"

Mal sat up suddenly, nearly making Yuugi topple off the couch. Mal twisted his head around, cursing upon finding his arms tied behind him as well. Anger blazed in his eyes as he glared at the scene.

"It seems we've been kidnapped." Said Mal.

She was grateful he was clam, as she was still freaking out internally. Then Mal's eyes wandered over to her, and his expression worsened. She followed his line of sight, realizing he was looking at her partially pulled down dress.

"Did they touch you?" hissed Mal, his calm disappearing. He was practically trembling with suppressed rage.

Before Yuugi could answer, the scar man had come over again. His heavy footfalls announced his presence.

"I would be more concerned with myself, Master Ishtar than this woman." Said the man. "I don't have any specific orders on what I can and can't do to you."

The threat didn't deter Mal, who slid his hands down the back of his legs and over his shoes, changing the position of his tied hands in front of him. The next second he was standing, fists raised and feet spread apart.

"If you so much as looked at her, I will bury you in pieces." Mal growled.

"Mal…" said Yuugi weakly, scared out of her mind for her friend. This man was huge. There was no way Mal could take him, especially with his hands still tied.

The scar man seemed to think so as well, a large sadistic smirk showing large misaligned teeth. Then he moved.

For such a large man, he was fast! In a split second, Mal had been socked in the face and stomach. Mal doubled over, falling to his knees from the blow. The man didn't stop there, raising his fists and slamming them into Mal's back. Yuugi yelled in fright and ran forward as she watched Mal crumple under the man's assault.

Arms wrapped around her and pinning her to their chest. Another hand covered her mouth, muffling her screams.

"Shut the whore up." Said the scarred man, not looking at Yuugi. He was busy cracking his neck from side to side as he advanced on Mal. The blonde was struggling to get to his knees, a sheen of sweat covering his face as he glared through the haze of pain.

"I have to thank you for resisting." Said the man. "I wouldn't have been able to have fun otherwise."

The man's foot collided with Mal's face. Blood spurted from his nose, Mal jerking back against the rug and clutching his face.

Panic flared up in Yuugi, but not the paralyzing kind. The kind that forced her to move, took control of her body and flooded every muscle with energy. Her hands, still clasped behind her back reached out. They found the vulnerable soft part of her captor, giving it a tight squeeze and twisting it for good measure.

The man dropped her with a whine pitched two octaves higher. She slipped from his grasp, running towards Mal. She skidded to her knees beside him.

"Mal? Are you alright?" she said, praying nothing was broken. The man let out a groan, an assortment of curses issuing from his mouth.

"Flipping elephant." He muttered, whipping blood from his face.

Something grabbed Yuugi, and she was dragged from the back of her dress away from Mal. She dug her heels into the ground, trying to resist her captor.

"Stop struggling bitch." Said the man, and something hard smacked Yuugi in the face. Her heels slipped on the carpet and she fell to the ground, face stinging in pain. She glared up at the scar man that had hit her.

"Stay the hell away from my friend." Yelled Yuugi.

She could take being socked in the face. She was used to being hurt by others in the past. What she couldn't take was watching an oversized bully beating up on her friend.

The scar man apparently didn't expect Yuugi to talk back. His face twitched in amusement, lips pulling to one side in a sneer that made Yuugi shiver. It was a different look than the one he had given Mal. It was one that took in her exposed legs, the cup of her bra almost fully exposed. It looked at her as a _thing_. An item to take possession of.

Disgusting. That's how it felt to be looked at by this man.

"That's enough."

Yuugi never thought she'd be happy to hear that voice in her life, but there had to be a first for everything. Vivian strode into the room, the kick of her walk revealing high slits that shot up past her thighs. Between that and the divide down the front of the dress, Yuugi wondered how everything didn't fall out when she moved. The dress was a blood red, matching the dark shade of her puckered lips.

She stopped in the middle of the room, head high with diamonds glittering on her ears. Her customary twin buns had been abandoned, her hair pulled up into a tall twist. If she wasn't such a psycho and dressed like a slut, she might have appeared classy.

"I believe I was clear on how Yuugi should be treated, Gareth." Said Vivian. "No damage to her face."

It didn't come as a surprise that Vivian had set this up. Yuugi had guessed it from the start. Only Vivian would be crazy enough to do something like this.

There was movement beside Yuugi, and Mal scooted in front of her. He sent her an apologetic look.

"Sorry." He said in a low voice. "I'll protect you until Yami gets here."

"Assuming he has figured out what happened." She whispered, watching with one eye as Vivian scolded the large thug for hitting Yugi. "He went to go chase after Marik. Who knows how long that argument could take." Plus, they had no idea how long either of them had been knocked out. She just prayed that someone had seen the kidnapping and gotten help.

Vivian finished scolding the man, Gareth, and turned her wicked eyes onto the two of them.

"We can just make sure to angle it correctly." She said, tilting her head. "Keep the obvious bruise out of the shot."

"What are you even doing Vivian?" said Yuugi, annoyed at this woman and her meddling. "You do realize that what you're doing is a crime."

Vivian laughed, her mouth opening wide and throwing her head back as if Yuugi had said something really funny. It was odd, almost awkward how happy she looked. Yuugi just stared at the woman, wondering for the thousandth time if she were truly sane. Mal was mouthing beside Yuugi, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Vivian's laugh died down to small chortles as she wiped at an eye.

"Oh Yuugi, you are so childish." She said. "You think the law will protect you from others? From me?"

Suddenly, Vivian didn't seem as awkward or childish anymore. She seemed downright insane. Yuugi swallowed.

"You are officially brain dead Vivian." Said Mal flatly, "What sort of moron comes up with a scheme like this? What, you think kidnapping Yami's girlfriend will suddenly make him be interested in you? It will take a lot more than plastic surgery to fix what you've got Vivian."

Vivian's face turned red. Stiletto heels clicked on the floor as she marched over and grabbed Mal by the hair. The man, still winded by the previous attacks, was shaken by Vivian as her long nails dug into his skull.

"Shut up trash!" she yelled, yanking his head up again. "I am doing Yami a favor I-"

Mal spat at her, a visible drop of spittle sliding down her face. Vivian dropped him immediately, her eyes widening as if she couldn't believe that Mal would dare spit upon her. Her face twisted a second later as she kicked him with her thin heels.

"You spat on my face!" she shrieked. "You ruined my beautiful face. Oh, it's a good thing I'm here, or else Yami would be dragged down by the likes of your kind. Your filth."

Her foot raised again to strike Mal, but Yuugi wasn't going to have any of it. She darted in front of Mal, the heel stabbing into her shoulder. Ouch! Those things actually hurt.

Vivian drew her foot back, snarling at Yuugi.

"Get out of the way." She said. "You'll have your turn you little slut."

"No." said Yuugi.

 _Smack!_

Yuugi again felt her head jerk to the side as this time a female hand smacked her. She mused for a moment that it hurt a lot less than the strikes she was used to. She managed to convey this with her eyes as she looked back at Vivian, eyebrows raised as if to say: _'is that all you got'?_

Vivian was breathing hard, nostrils flared in anger. No one moved except Vivian as she took several deep breathes. Then she relaxed, her anger receding.

"I will admit Yuugi, you've held out longer than the others." Said Vivian, walking to the side of the room. She took a tissue from a nearby box, dabbing at her face in a mirror that hung on the wall. "You've even managed to make me lose my temper. You're very good."

"Others?" said Yuugi, not liking how this sounded. "You mean you've chased off other girls around Yami?"

"Of course!" said Vivian, tossing the tissue away and turning to face Yuugi, smiling as if she were talking with a good friend. "No one is good enough for my wonderful Yami. He's the embodiment of perfection. I'm sure the Gods themselves are jealous with his beauty, which is why they keep sending little whores like you to bring him down."

Yuugi had no idea how to respond to that. She just kept staring, half waiting for someone to tell her this was all a joke.

"I think you just described yourself, Witch." Said Mal, rubbing his sore face.

Vivian's smile grew ugly, taking a full five seconds for it to return to it's sickening sweet appearance.

"Careful Malik Ishtar." Said Vivian sweetly. "You weren't in the plans at the originally. I can always make room to fit you in."

"Oh joy." Said Mal. "You are so kind your bitchy-ness. Maybe we should crown you queen bitch of bitch kingdom to reward you for all the bitchy charity you spread for your bitchy plans you bitch."

Yuugi wanted to both smack Mal and high five him for that wonderful speech. As it was, it sent Vivian over the edge again.

"Enough!" she yelled, her composure gone. "Let's hurry and start this. Gareth, strip Yuugi and put her on the couch."

Any amusement at Mal died, the blood draining from Yuugi's face. She scrambled to her feet at the same time as Mal, who positioned himself in front of Yuugi again.

"Don't you dare touch her." Mal growled.

Gareth was upon them. He grabbed hold of Mal, thrusting him aside easily and into the hands of two other men. Mal struggled, punching and elbowing everyone he could as he swore at Vivian over and over again.

Gareth grabbed Yuugi's arm, and she yelled in pure fright as the man started to drag her back to the couch. Literally. Her wrist burned and her arm ached from the strain.

"Let go!" Yuugi yelled, trying to pry his thick fingers from her small wrist. It was useless. He threw her onto the couch. She immediately tried to scramble off but the man took both her hands in one of his huge ones, pinning them above her head. Humiliation surged through her without end.

Vivian walked into Yuug's view, holding a camera.

"It won't work Vivian." Said Yuugi desperately, trying to ignore how exposed she felt. How her dress was almost pulled down past her ribs at this point. Gosh, she wanted to cry. "Y-yami will know. He won't believe the picture. No one will. They'll know you did it, just like with the other fake cheating photo. We'll tell everyone what you did here."

"It won't matter" said Vivian with a sickly smile. "And no one will believe you. After all, it will be you and Mal in the picture."

Yuugi's heart stilled.

"Of course you would deny it." Simpered Vivian. "Of course you would say it was a set up. It won't matter that they'll find out the other is a fake, because this one will be real."

She put a finger to her pouting lips as she clicked through her camera. "And how sad will that be for the Ishtar Family I wonder? They just signed a contract with the Sennens only to find out that Yuugi was stringing both men along. This will put quite the wedge between the two families don't you think?"

Then she held out the camera to Yuugi.

On the small electronic screen was a picture of her sleeping on top of Mal. It was taken from above, which made it hard to see their faces. But what she could see was her own trademark hair, and the back of her completely unzipped dress. One of Mal's hands was resting on the exposed skin, his shirt open. It was obviously the two of them in the photo, and it looked very convincing.

 _No!_

Yuugi's eyes slid to where Mal was, the poor man now looking worse for wear. To his credit, the men beside him looked pretty bad too, but Mal had taken a beating.

He noticed her horrified expression, his own stalling.

"Yuugi?" he said. "What is it? What did they do? Did they- so help me if they took a nude!"

"Don't make me force you to." Said Vivian, pulling the camera back and scrolling through it again. She continued to ignore the commotion Mal was making, her attention fixed on Yuugi. "I could easily knock the two of you out and take another. Whether I do that or not is all up to you Yuugi."

She peered at Yuugi over the top of the camera, her grin widening. "Why destroy the relationship between two families when you can contain it to your own?"

"What do you mean?" said Yuugi, heart hammering.

Vivian waved the camera at Yuugi. "I'll delete this picture on one condition." Said Vivian. "You have to willingly take photos with Gareth instead."

* * *

 **I find it amusing that I somehow manage to have Yuugi pass out, get kidnapped and protect Mal in both my fics at the same time… repeating plot lines much? Woops.**

 **Thank you all for your reviews!** **TheDigitalDork, Walt-Disney and Anime, metallicbubbles, whitlaw123, Shayla L. Lyons, Guest, Unitato722, Guildsnake, Guest, Mistoka, CottonCoccon, KristalSkarlet and Blutkatze!**


	111. Chapter 111

Chapter 111

"You want me to do what?" said Yuugi, unsure if she had heard correctly.

"Take pictures with Gareth." Said Vivian, "I know you'd be so disappointed if the Sennens and Ishtars had a bad relationship because of you, so I'm giving you the chance to make it all better."

 _They wouldn't have a bad relationship if you weren't completely crazy!_ Thought Yuugi, but she took a second to consider what Vivian said. If that picture was released, it wouldn't matter if it wasn't the truth. People would take the picture and run with it, writing horrible things about either Yuugi or Mal or both. And if Vivian was behind those articles, then it was sure to have the worst outcome possible.

Yuugi had to hand it to Vivian. It was quite cleaver of her. By dangling this in front of Yuugi, she could get Yuugi to willingly take pictures with Gareth, making it harder to deny the validity of them due to how convincing they would look.

Yuugi glanced at Gareth - then quickly looked away with a shudder.

 _I can't do it._ She thought, taking a deep breath.

"Sorry Mal." Said Yuugi, raising her voice. "But would you be willing to take some dirty picture with me?"

"Hell yeah." Said Mal without hesitation. "I was going to kill you if you agreed to her stupid request. You know she's going to post that picture if you had done it anyway."

"That's what I figured." Said Yuugi with a sad smile, looking back at Vivian. The woman's smile was gone, her lips pointed into a frown. "I won't go along with it Vivian. I won't go along with any of it."

"You really are selfish." Said Vivian, her words stabbing into Yuugi, despite everything. "You're dragging your friend down with you. What happens to his family will be your fault."

"The word 'insane' can't be worn-out when describing you." Said Mal.

"Shut up!" said Vivian, claws clenching the camera in anger. "I gave you a chance Yuugi and this is what you chose. You can't blame me for what happens next. Strip her!"

Panic flooded through Yuugi. She struggled under the hold, arms still pinned above her head. It was no use. No matter how much she tugged and kicked, she couldn't move. Her arms ached, her face was burning, and still Gareth's hands descended.

"No!"

Mal managed to struggle out of the hold of one of the men, giving the other a good solid kick in the shin. He dropped, and Mal lunched for Vivian, who jerked back with a shriek.

"Ah! Protect me!" she yelled, running back through the room.

Gareth, who had managed to pull down Yugui's dress to her belly button let go of Yuugi, standing to chase after Mal along with the other guards. Yuugi quickly pulled her dress back up as best she could with her hands still tied, standing up. Then she hesitated.

She should run but… she couldn't leave Mal.

"Run Yuugi!" yelled Mal, who had already been caught by the two other men. His voice was so loud it made her jump. "Run like Hell!"

Yuugi paused for only half a second longer before running, biting her lip hard against the guilt curling in her stomach. Guilt for running when Mal stayed to protect her.

Unfortunately, her way was not free. One other guard was in the way of the door, gunning for her.

Yuugi changed direction, forcing an end table between them as they circled around each other. The man tripped over himself in his haste to catch her, and in that split second Yuugi sprinted faster than she had ever sprinted in her life. She crossed the short distance, legs pumped like crazy as she slammed into the door in her haste. She could hear Vivian behind her, screaming something. Mal yelling for her to go. She grabbed the handle with her tied hands and pulled.

It was locked.

 _No no no no no!_

The guard caught up. Yuugi darted away, desperation making her stumble. She only took two steps before he had grabbed her.

Yuugi cursed, throwing her head back.

Pain erupted on the top of her head. She heard a satisfying yell as the man's hold loosened. Yuugi blinked the stars from her eyes and struggled free, taking quick steps to the side of the room where no one else was.

She stopped, chest heaving as she eyed the area. Mal was pinned to the ground by three men, still struggling despite obviously being badly hurt. Gaerth stood beside a ruffled Vivian, who was cursing Mal out. That left the last man, who was rubbing his chin and mouth, staying near the door instead of pursuing Yuugi.

Vivian turned her attention back to Yuugi, eyes twitching.

"Stop struggling!" she said. "You're just delaying and making it worse. You're trapped. There's nothing you can do."

 _Not quite._

Yuugi inhaled, diaphragm expanding as she filled her lungs to their capacity.

And she screamed.

It wasn't a normal yell like the ones she and Mal had been yelling throughout this ordeal. It was a blood-curdling woman-getting-killed-in-a-horror-movie scream. Yuugi didn't even know she could make this noise. It tore at her throat, made her head pound and most importantly, made her ears want to bleed from the volume.

She screamed to be heard, to be found, but mostly she screamed for one person to hear her. The one person she prayed would save her.

A hand clamped down on her face, silencing her yell. It was Gareth. His hand was so massive it nearly covered her face. Yuugi wanted to gag from the smell of his oily grimy palm.

"Enough of this." growled the man. "You've given me more than enough headaches for the night. I'm getting what I was promised."

Tears started to leak out of Yuugi's eyes. This was it. Mal was down, and she couldn't get away again. As her dress was again yanked down, she closed her eyes.

 _Yami…_

Without warning, Yuugi was released.

Yuugi, who hadn't been expecting to be free, dropped to the floor. It took her a second to focus on what was happening. When she did, she nearly fainted from relief.

Yami was here.

Her boyfriend had Gareth in a choke hold, teeth bared and veins bulging in anger. Yuugi had never seen Yami so livid in her entire life. No matter what had happened, or how angry he would get in the past, there was always a sense of him holding back. Of a controlled storm.

That control was gone.

Yami now emanated a bloodlust that promised death. His eyes were cold and merciless, his presence flooding the room. Yuugi couldn't tear her eyes from him.

Despite all of Yami's rage and enthusiasm, it couldn't completely make up for Gareth's brute strength. The man managed to struggled out of Yami's choke hold, landing a hard blow on Yami's ribs. Yami didn't seem to notice, tux flapping in the wind generated from his quick movement. He was trading blows with Gareth, but the larger man was obviously going to win.

Something white flew out. Bakura appeared, gunning for Gareth's blind spot. The albino didn't play fair, jabbing Gareth in the neck. The hulking man gasped, staggering backward.

Yami and Bakura didn't waste the chance. Yami drew his fist back, punching Gareth in the face. At the same time, Bakura kicked the man in the side of his knee.

There was an audible snap, and the man fell to the ground, howling in pain. Yami ran forward to punch him again, but Gareth dodged, grabbing Yami and sending the two struggling to the ground.

For a single heartbeat, Yuugi was afraid that Yami would get pinned beneath Gareth, Yami's body snapping easily beneath the man's hulking figure. But it was Yami who came out on top. Yami who managed to punch Gareth again and again.

Yuugi watched with fascinating horror as Yami continued to punch Gareth. She quickly lost count of how many times the man had been punched, blood dripping from his nose and mouth.

"S-stop." She whispered, noticing Gareth had passed out and that Yami wasn't stopping any time soon. "Y-yami."

He kept punching, fist now the same bloody red as his eyes.

"YAMI!"

Yuugi's voice cracked, but the call did its job.

Yami stopped, eyes turning to Yuugi.

Then he was back. The Yami she knew. The murder in his eyes fled as they fell upon her. Then she saw something else she had never seen before. An expression so heart wrenching it physically hurt to see it.

"Yuugi." Yami whimpered.

He was there, hugging her completely and utterly.

Tears flowed unchecked from Yuugi's eyes, the relief was so strong…

Her whole body shook, brain firing signals at a million miles per hour as her body went into shock. She wasn't sure of anything around her. Of who was there and who wasn't. Everything fell into the background except the fact that Yami was here. That he had found her.

She was safe.

* * *

 **Thank you my lovelies for your continued support!** **whitlaw123, Blutkatze, Guest 1, 2 and 3, TheDigitalDork, Mistoka, Guildsnake, and Phoenix F. I posted quickly to spare you all agony of waiting, as requested.**

 **By the way, Mal gets kudos forever for giving his all to protect Yuugi (and insulting Vivian the whole time). The man is not a fighter in case you didn't notice.  
**


	112. Chapter 112

Chapter 112

It would have been hard for Yuugi to determine how long she stayed in Yami's arms, crying in relief. It had to have been a few minutes at least. All she registered was the still rapid pulse of Yami's heart pressed against her face, his trembling hands holding her tightly, his unintelligible soothing words… What brought her out of her shock was the smooth motion of him slipping her arms back through her dress.

She looked up in time to watch as he zipped up the back, a shadow of agony still present in his hooded eyes. He took off his suit, pacing it around Yuugi's shoulders like a protective blanket. His hands lingered on the collar, holding it tightly around her.

"Yuugi." he said. "Did they… did I make it on time? I heard your scream and-"

"You did." She cut him off, love for her boyfriend blossoming through the fear. "You made it. You saved me."

Yami let out a sigh, leaning his forehead against hers. She closed her eyes, letting the warmth of his presence wash everything away.

"I'm so glad." He murmured. "I was so afraid."

"Me too." She admitted.

She let herself soak up the moment, silently gathering strength from tranquility.

"Get your hands off me!"

…or at least until it was broken.

Yuugi leaned back, finally registering the changes in the room.

The first thing her eyes found was Mal trying to bat away a frantic Marik, who appeared to be patting the man down, looking for injuries. It was obvious Marik was worried, but it was equally obvious that Mal was annoyed by the hands-on approach to the search.

Two of Vivian's guards were on the ground, apparently unconscious. The other two were standing beside the wall, hands held behind their backs as if tied. Two other people were there, seemingly guarding the thugs. It was the identity of these two men that surprised Yuugi.

It was Honda and Rafael.

Honda was wearing the uniform of a server, much like the other men. Yuugi and Yami had considered asking her friends to mix in with the staff as extra undercover protection, but that was where it had ended. As a thought, or so she had assumed. It wasn't hard to guess that Yami had implemented the idea without telling her.

Rafael however, she had no idea what he was doing here, or why he appeared to be helping.

"I said let go."

Now Yuugi was drawn to the commotion in the room. Bakura had a hold of Vivian.

The man was the only one not dressed formally, wearing his usual jeans and t-shirt. He was also ignoring the annoying demands of Vivian as she stuck her nose in the air.

"I am the heiress of the Wong family." She huffed. "I will not be handled like this. If you do not let go this instant, I will sue you for sexual harassment, wringing you out so dry that you-"

"Shut up." Said Barku, sounding bored. Something silver slipped out of his jeans, and the next second, Vivian's hands were being pulled behind her back as Bakura hand-cuffed her. "I'd suggest staying quiet until your lawyer can get here, though it won't do you much good."

Vivian's face turned white. "What are you- Is this a joke?"

"It is no joke."

Yuugi's attention turned toward the door, noting that it appeared to be broken. (Yami must have barged through it to get to her). Standing in the doorway was Seto Kaiba, arms folded as he scowled down at Vivian. Mokuba was beside him, hands darting across a small computer as he smiled maliciously at Vivian.

"All of our rooms are monitored for security." Said Mokuba, typing away at the computer. "Your little stunt here was caught completely on camera, documented and backed up. You'll have a very hard time arguing against such clear evidence."

Vivian's already pale face twisted into something worse. She shrieked in furry, her cries unintelligible to Yuugi.

Bakura shook her slightly.

"Shut up, you're giving me an ear ache." He said, staring to pull her out the room. A few other men entered, each wearing a badge of a police office. They took the other two men from Honda and Rafael and followed Bakura out of the room, Vivian's cries about the indecency of what was happening fading as she was led away.

"Yuugi?"

Yuugi snapped her attention back to Yami, who was looking at her with concern. She had spaced out, confused at everything that had happened too quickly for her to process.

"You alright?" he said.

She managed to nod, looking back at her friends. Honda was quickly making his way across the room.

"Yuugi!" he called, and she thought he might throw himself on her. His arms paused right before they made contact as the relief drained from his face. A shiver ran through his body and he quickly jumped back in a stuttering mess.

Yuugi couldn't help it. She laughed, hard at Honda's reaction.

"You still can't voluntarily touch me, can you?" she laughed at him as he flushed a deep red.

"I can!" he protested. "Don't laugh. I totally can."

Honda struggled to his feet, approaching cautiously as if she were a tiger. He was shoved out of the way a second later as someone else bustled over to Yuugi.

"Shrimp! What are you doing getting my Malik hurt?" said Marik as he clapped a hand on her shoulder. She honestly couldn't tell if he was legitimately angry or not. He was for something, though Yuugi had a suspicion it might not all be directed at her.

Mal was there a second later, putting himself between Marik and her.

"Don't go blaming her for this." said Mal, real anger in his eyes. There was a cut on his face, red marks visible from where it had been pressed into the carpet. "She didn't ask to be kidnapped and I wanted to help her, I-"

Yuugi grabbed Mal around the middle, forcing all the air out of his lungs.

"Thank you." She said. "Thank you so much Mal." Her words felt inadequate to express her appreciation, instead tightening her hold on his middle. She heard him give a squawk of annoyance, fingers prying on her arms.

"I get it." Mal struggled to say. "Now can you let go?"

Yuugi shook her head, smiling up at him with all the joy of the sun.

Upon meeting this expression, Mal's protests faltered, a slight blush creeping up his face. He looked away, giving an awkward cough. "It's no big deal kid."

"As touching as this moment is." Said a sharp voice. "Yuugi and Mal need to be questioned. It would be better to explain what happened when it's still fresh in everyone's mind."

Mal rolled his eyes at Seto's words.

"You know, for a second I thought you might had a shred of humanity since you helped save Yuugi." She heard Honda say to Seto. "My mistake."

Yuugi smiled, slowly releasing her hold on Mal. The man had been pulled into an argument with Marik and Seto at this point, small conversations splintering off as everyone came down from the adrenaline of helping her out. Yami's hand slipped into hers, and he smiled down at her. She returned the smile, but couldn't help her curiosity wandering to the only person in the room that hadn't come over to talk to her after the kidnappers had been led from the room. Rafael was still there, arms folded as he watched the exchange of her friends with silent calculating eyes.

"Come." Said Seto, motioning to her. "We need to get this all sorted. I'd rather the rest of the party is not effected by the shenanigans of that brat."

"I'm sorry that Yuugi's distress was such an inconvenience to you." shot Marik, which was ironic since he had just ceased giving Yuugi a hard time about dragging Mal into it.

Seto wisely ignored the taunt and motioned for Yuugi to follow. She did, Yami keeping hold of her hand the whole way as he led her from the room.

Everyone else followed, Seto and Mokuba in the front as they all trailed behind. A few minutes later, she was shown into a small room with a love seat and desk. Before entering, she stopped in front of Kaiba.

"Thank you so much for everything." She said with a bow.

It was not in Seto Kaiba's nature to express any form of happiness. Seto never smiled, his world instead consisting of frowns and an occasional smirk. It was one of these frowns she was met with, but it was different than his usual expression. His blue eyes were softened a touch as he stared down at her.

"Yami can stay with you while you get your report." He said. "Everyone else has to stay outside."

Recognizing the small mercy, Yuugi gave another smile and nod in thanks. She walked in, Yami staying behind a moment to give Seto his thanks and talk over a few things.

She sank into the cushions with a heavy sigh, the fabric conforming around her body in a pleasant way that gave her a sense of security. Safety. They shifted as Yami sat beside and put an arm around her, which she gladly snuggled into to find a more comfortable position.

"Holy cow." Yuugi breathed out. "That was way too much."

"I agree." Said Yami, pressing his face into her hair. The arm around her was tight and protective, pushing her farther into his chest. His hand detached from her fingers, coming up to gently nudge her face upward. It was soft, a gentle suggestion that she allowed with eagerness. She met his eyes, grateful for the love she saw in them, as well as the still simmering anger, concern, desire, fear… she read everything in his expression. He was an open book to her.

It made her want to act.

She took the initiative, moving forward to meet his lips with hers. His familiar lips were a comfort to her. A balm to her shattered nerves. She enjoyed having a more dominant position, pushing her lips against his in sync. Her mouth opened slightly, turning it into a deeper more heated kiss. Yami responded in kind, tongue licking the edge of her lips.

His hand came up to caress the nape of her neck, sending shivers through her body at the touch. One of her hands had come to rest on his firm chest, leaning into him.

They slowly broke apart, Yuugi grateful that her heart was now beating for an entirely different reason. She leaned her head against Yami's shoulder, closing her eyes.

"Sorry." She said. "Probably not the most appropriate response after what just happened."

"You needed it." Said Yami, rubbing a soothing hand up and down her back as she curled up against him. "…I needed it."

She hummed in response.

They stayed there a few minutes more, Yuugi concentrating on Yami. The rise and fall of his chest. His arms secure around her. This was where she felt the safest. The calmest.

"How did you find me?" she asked. "What happened?"

His hand on her back resumed its lethargic motion, tracing up and down her back twice more before he spoke.

"I was speaking to Marik." said Yami. "Well… arguing obviously about Mal. Then Rafael came up to speak to us."

"Why?" she asked.

"Never got to find out. The three of us were still arguing when Mokuba interrupted. He said that security had lost sight of you on the monitors. Kaiba was already searching for you and Jou went to the security room to see if something was wrong there. Me and Marik took off in the direction we had seen you go… and Rafael followed us. Said he wanted to help."

"He did?" said Yuugi. She was surprised. What benefit was there to helping Yami find her? Unless his scheme included making them indebted to him… Or maybe this kind of life was making her paranoid?

What if he just wanted to help out because he wasn't completely a bad person? Any decent human being would be concerned if another person went missing, even if they were enemies. Yuugi had been so paranoid, so scared of everyone that she had unconsciously started comparing all her possible opponents against Vivian, which was completely unfair. Vivian was an extreme case. Not everyone that disliked Yuugi would go to the same extremes that Vivian had.

Now she felt bad for placing Rafael in the same category when the man hadn't done anything to deserve it.

"What happened after that?" said Yuugi, wanting Yami to continue.

"We found Bakura and Honda a second later." Said Yami. "They'd been watching the security footage when Bakura had discovered that something was wrong. We split up, me with Bakura and the other three in the other direction. We had been searching for a few minutes when Bakura got a call. They had found the people who had messed with the footage and they had found you…"

Yami trailed off, his hand on her back stopping. Yuugi sat up, positioning herself to sit level with Yami.

"They told you where I was." She guessed, Yami keeping his mouth closed. "You ran to me but couldn't pin down the exact location… then you heard me scream."

Yami nodded. "You know the rest." He said with a grimace. "Yuugi, I'm not going to let this go."

"Oh, I'm the one that's not going to let her get away with this." Said Yuugi, shaking her head. "This is way past the line. Vivian needs to be stopped, and I don't plan on letting her get away with anything."

The comment seemed to take Yami off guard. He probably hadn't expected his sweet forgiving Yuugi to talk this way, nor with obvious anger in her voice.

Whatever his next comment, it was put on hold as the door opened and Bakura walked in. The man slumped into the desk before them, pulling a notebook from his pocket.

"I see the two of you look fine." Said Bakura, "I hope you know this is your fault Yuugi. If you'd have let us take her out like Yami had planned this wouldn't have happened."

The sudden tension in Yami's hands said he was not happy with the comment, and neither was Yuugi. It stung a little, she had to admit, but she kept a sweet smile as she replied in a calm voice. "Maybe, but then we wouldn't have such perfect evidence to use against her. Unless that video was a bluff from Mokuba."

Bakura's eyes traveled to her, lips pulled up in a sadistic amusement as he took in her unyielding gaze. "Nah, that's true. I've seen it myself." He said, leaning back. "This interrogation is just a formality-"

"It's not an interrogation." cut in Yami. "Or did they not teach you how to use tact when dealing with victims of traumatizing events?"

Bakura rolled his eyes. "Your girl doesn't need coddling Yami." He said. "She's a big girl, which is evident in the video. Really, you would be pride of the kid. She held her own in a terrible situation."

Yami didn't answer, his silence carrying a weight that shrouded his whole body. She doubted that Yami would ever want to watch that video in his life. She never wanted to see it either, remembering how horrible the experience had been. The feeling of being pinned down, that huge man's awful breath. She shivered slightly, a movement that made Yami send her a quick glance.

She gave him a smile to reassure him she was fine.

"Wait a second." Said Yuugi, just realizing something. "Does this mean you're officially a cop? Like a real cop? Not just an undercover contracted consultant?"

"Are you blind?" said Bakura, stabbing a finger at a badge she hadn't noticed attached to his belt.

"Congratulations! I'm so excited for you and Ryou."

"Can we get back on topic?" Said Bakura, looking uncomfortable at Yuugi's honest praise. "I have to take a statement from you on what happened, but more importantly, I want to know if you plan on pressing charges. Or what you plan on doing from here on out."

Yuugi gave Yami a look, one he met with hard eyes. She knew what he wanted, but she also knew what she wanted to do. She gave a smile, this one laced with malice.

"Are you asking me as a cop, or as a friend?" said Yuugi.

Bakura blinked, as if taken off guard. Then he imitated Yuugi's sinister grin. The expression answered her question.

"What do you have in mind?"

* * *

 **Thank you my dears! Shayla L. Lyons, Guildsnake, CottonCoccon, whitlaw123, Unitato722, YamixYugi4evr, Guest, ll Kairi ll, metallicbubbles, Lily D. Cave, Phoenix F, Deji princess, ShadowNinja45567 and guest 2. for all of your wonderful words and reviews!  
**

 **No, you are so sweet but I'm not going to make this into a book. The story line feels too much like a manga, plus the whole premise of emerging is something I stole from a manga. blah. XD**


	113. Chapter 113

Chapter 113

Yuugi and Yami sat alone in the sitting room, waiting at a desk with two empty chairs on the other side. Their hands were intertwined, resting on the wood surface. Occasionally one of them would send the other a glance, which the other would catch. Yuugi would respond with an encouraging smile. Yami didn't smile. His face was perfectly neutral, a sign that he felt anything but that.

The door opened, and two people entered. They were a middle-aged couple, both wearing traditional Chinese clothing. The husband's changshan was black, a red and gold dragon emblazoned in the center. The wife's red dress had a gold design running along the seams, a compliment to the husband's outfit. Her almond eyes were lined with black, hair pulled back into a traditional bun. Both appeared to be the epitome of successful wealthy couple… Save for their worried expressions.

Bakura appeared in the doorway behind them.

"You have ten minutes to make your point Yami." He said.

"Don't worry." Said Yami without looking at Bakura. His eyes were on the couple, hard and unmoving. "It won't take long."

The door shut, leaving the couple standing awkwardly in the room. It was an abnormality on their part, as they were used to being the ones in charge. The ones with power and all the cards in their favor. Now, something had changed. Something they knew couldn't be swept away easily, and the man in front of them had the power to determine the results.

Yuugi was the one who broke the tension. She gave the couple a sympathetic smile, motioning to the chairs across from them.

"Please sit down." She said.

It was the start of the flood gates. They swiftly took their seats, barely touching the chairs before they were leaning forward, the wife clutching her husband's arm in distress.

"Please, let us extend to you both our deepest apologies and regrets." The husband said, hands splayed face down on the table, knuckles white from pressing into the wood. "We were completely unaware of what our daughter planned to do tonight. If there have been any lasting damages we are more than willing to compensate the Sennen and Kaiba family."

Yami let out a snort, as if insulted by their apology.

"The potential damages that could have been done tonight – and were done- are not something that can be fixed with money." He said without a shred of mercy to their pleas. "And it would be the Mutou and Ishtar family you would be compensating, not mine or Kaiba's."

"Of course, Miss Yuugi will also be compensated for any trauma." Said the man, changing direction without missing a beat. "I will personally see that your friend Malik gets the best treatment he can, as well as cover any other additional costs. We wouldn't want this event to cause any lasting damage to all parties involved. I do hope we can come to a quiet agreement to this ordeal."

Yami didn't answer, and the man took it as a sign that his words were having an effect. He pressed forward, but with less desperation. He was gaining confidence, believing that his fake humility was working.

"The last thing we want is for this to be blown out of proportion." He continued. "Poor Yuugi is already under fire from the press, and if this were added to the mess, then the persecution toward her could turn worse."

His eyes flickered to Yuugi, who had grimaced at the mention of the press. The man noticed the twitch, thinking he had found a crack in this seemingly inescapable situation. He dug into it, hoping to force the cracks wider and make them break.

"The press does not leave scandals like this alone." He said, giving a fake frown of sympathy. "They would turn the story into something else, maybe even exaggerate what happened to poor Yuugi. That would be just terrible for you to go through my dear."

The wife was now gazing at Yuugi with eyes full of sympathy, the type where the person was simultaneously judging and looking down on them. She put fingers to painted lips and gave a soft 'tut'. "That would be so hard for you dearie. I can't even imagine." She simpered.

"Just terrible." Agreed the husband with a nod. "Especially when you have no evidence for what happened. Just your word. I'm sure that's not something any of us would like."

Yuugi gave a soft yelp.

For a split second, the couple thought she was reacting to their words, but as Yuugi looked to her boyfriend in exasperation they realized their mistake.

"Yami! My hand."

"Sorry." Said Yami, who quickly relaxed the grip in her hand. He did not let go of her hand though, Yuugi rubbing at it the best she could without proper access.

"It sounds like you're saying the press would make up stories about what had really happened." Said Yuugi. "Like claim the perpetrator managed to actually rape me."

"Exactly." Said the man, all distress gone as he began to pry at the loose boards of their defense. "Or who knows. The testimony of the large man could be fake. He could just say he had attacked you for his own gain and not under the command of anyone." And his smile promised that it would be so. That the man could be bought or convinced to give a false testimony. "There doesn't need to be any blame or names damaged from this. In fact, we could suspend this whole investigation until we determine the best action to move forward with the least damage. We wouldn't want to be hasty, now would we?"

Yuugi tapped against her chin in apparent thought, turning to her boyfriend. "You know, they make a few good points." She mused. "It would be hard to deal with the press and everything else without causing some damage. Lots of things could go wrong."

The man chuckled, leaning back in his seat as he laced his hands together getting comfortable. He had done it. This mess was as good as clean. The girlfriend was already starting to crumble and he had barely scratched the surface.

"You are wise for your age Miss Yuugi." he said. "I am impressed that you understood the situation so quickly. It takes a mature woman to identify possible hazards in their future without letting their emotions cloud them."

"You are very kind." Said Yuugi, her face lighting up in a large smile. "I actually have a few other concerns about what could happen, if you don't mind indulging me for a moment. I'd like to get your opinion on some evidence we have."

"Certainly."

The husband and wife shared a discreet look. It held both self-satisfaction and relief. They had this in the bag. If the victims were coming to them for help and opening up to them, it would be easy to misdirect and counter them in the future.

Then the flat-screen on the wall turned on and their eyes were drawn to what was shown. As it started, their face's drained completely of color, all previous triumph gone.

It was the recording from the security cameras.

As it played, the wife's fingernails dug into her husband's bisect, mouth open in horror. The husband didn't even react, his complexion green.

They didn't notice the change in the couple in front of them. They didn't witness the ache in Yami's eyes, the tightening of every muscle in his body as he listened to the tape.

The screen was behind him and he couldn't manage the strength to turn around. When the sounds of Yuugi being dragged across the room to be undressed arrived, the man closed his eyes, as if to shut his ears to the sound.

Yuugi reached out to him. Her physical touch kept him from diving into his pain, kept him surfaced as his anger and regret raged through him. His eyes opened, and the pain had been replaced. His eyes now held an immeasurable amount of rage. The type that made others step back in fear, positive this person could - and would - lash out and kill at any moment.

The tape ended, and the room fell silent.

Slowly, terrified of meeting his eyes, yet also unable to tear themselves from him, the married couple turned to gaze at Yami. The stillness of the room made their hearts stop, their every movement slow and calculated, as if scared to startle the beast that sat in front of them.

Only Yuugi seemed unfazed by the atmosphere. She was still smiling softly at her boyfriend as she continued to transfer her warmth into their connected hands.

"As you can see, the video very clearly shows what happened." She said calmly, as if talking about the weather. "And we have three others like it from different angles. The Kaiba family has been so kind as to release their security footage to the police as evidence, as well as several witnesses that were apparently bribed to do little things here and there to help facilitate my kidnapping."

Now the married couple was looking at Yuugi. The woman, who had lived through such a terrible experience was smiling sweetly after re-living the experience through the video. How could that be possible? There was no way she could smile after such an ordeal. It had to be fake. The couple saw too late the trap behind that smile. The promise of retribution. The expression was as daunting to them as the heat in Yami's red glare, for it was impossible to distinguish from a true smile. They did not know what was hidden behind it.

The husband tugged at his sleeves in a nervous twitch, sweat running down his brow. "Surely… it would be best to dispose of something as terrible as this. Who would want to keep something so horrible as a documentation of what happ-"

Yami slammed his fist on the table, cutting of the husband's words. The wife jumped at the noise, chin lifting higher in the air as she desperately tried to keep her composure. And Yuugi… she just gave Yami a sympathetic pat on the arm, grimacing as the rage radiated from her boyfriend.

"Your daughter is going to be charged for what she did to Yuugi." ground out Yami, his words muffled through his clenched teeth. "And nothing you say will stop me from persecuting her as far as the law will allow. We have more than enough evidence to prove what she did and didn't do."

The husband opened his mouth to speak, but Yami cut him off again.

"Let me make this clear to you." Said Yami. "I did not bring you in here to listen to your bullshit. I- we, requested you here as a mercy to you. A chance for you to prevent your entire family and company from going under due to your incompetent parenting. Vivian has caused more than enough heartache for me and Yuugi, and if it was up to me, I'd have torn into you so thoroughly that the entire world would look upon you with nothing but scorn and disgust. But I have not, and you have this woman to thank for that. The same woman you are trying - without a shred of shame - to cheat out of receiving justice for the atrocities that were committed against her."

The young woman, so bright and wonderful now looked so sad, and the couple knew it was for them.

She pitied them! The couple that had everything anyone could have in life. It would have been impossible to comprehend except the situation was finally clicking. They were finally beginning to understand the predicament they were in. They had never had a chance. There was no way for them to wiggle out of the situation. Their daughter, Vivian was going to be tried for the crimes she had committed, and they were certain it wouldn't end there.

The couple was scared now. They should have been ashamed, and for a moment they did feel a shred of it. Shame for their actions and words in the last five minutes. Especially in the face of the woman before them that didn't look at them with any hate or anger. The same woman that had been thoroughly mistreated in the video.

"We came to an agreement." Said Yuugi, her voice as soft as Yami's was hard. "I didn't want to make the situation worse, but I couldn't let Vivian get away with what she did. It would have been a disservice to Yami and others if I had. You heard her in the video. She's done similar things to others in the past. I don't want there to be any victims."

She pulled out a piece of paper and slid it over to the couple. It contained two short numbered lists, adjacent to one another.

"The column on the left lists the things Vivian has done to me in the past months." Said Yuugi, tapping it with a finger. "And the list on the right is a list of several scandals you or your company has been involved with in the last five years. Each of which Yami could prove easily."

One glance at the paper had the husband trembling. His eyes darted across the page in horror at the list of scandals they had information on. Many, if not all of them would be the end of his career.

"This is a bluff." Said the husband, desperate for some footholds. "It's made up. You don't have any real evidence. You can't prove that any of these things happened."

His words were greeted with that same combination: A pitiful smile from Yuugi and a cold gaze from Yami.

"You will do as you promised and make sure Malik gets the best treatment for his injuries." Said Yuugi smoothly, as if she hadn't heard the husband. "We will not seek out the media to tarnish Vivian's reputation, but we will file charges against her. Also, Vivian will publicly admit to this list of lies and acts she has committed against me. Her confession will need to be thorough and convincing. She should have plenty of proof."

"And why would we do that?" said the husband, unable to help himself from asking.

Yami was the one that answered. "Because, for every deed Vivian does not confess to, we will release one scandal on this list to the media and authorities."

And he would. There was no hesitance in Yami's voice. In fact, he appeared to be asking them to slip up, to miss a confession and give him an excuse to unleash his wrath upon them. It made the couple shiver as fear gripped them, squeezing their lungs until it was almost impossible to breathe.

"You have five days to carry this out." Continued Yuugi, who grimaced. "Vivian herself has to admit to each deed. If you can't convince her to confess then well…" She glanced at the list, her indication clear.

The paper still lay untouched on the table, the words heavy with potential destructive power. The husband wanted to snatch it from the desk and tear it to pieces, yet his hands remained still, almost afraid it would tear into them instead.

There was a knock at the door, and it opened a second later. Barkura poked his head in.

"I said ten minutes, it's almost been fifteen." He grumbled. "Get your sorry butts out here so I can finish this and go home."

And the anger in Yami's expression was gone, changing to his normal scowl as he scoffed at his friend. "If I didn't know any better, I would say you were on your period you're so moody. Or are you having sympathy pains now?"

"That's when the woman's pregnant you moron." Shot back the cop. "At least I've managed to get laid and unlike some pussy I know who won't man up."

"That's because I don't think with just my di-"

The door closed, cutting off the conversation. The husband and wife found themselves alone in the room, only now realizing the other two had left. Their attention was still on the list before them, the list that could destroy their entire world.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **And special thanks to those that reviewed! Walt-Disney and Anime, whitlaw123, Guest, Guildsnake, metallicbubbles, Guest 2, Phoenix F, CottonCoccon. I hope this is as satisfying to read was it was to write. I know many of you wanted a truck to fall on Vivian but this will have to do for now. More to come, I promise.  
**

 **In answer to your question** **metallicbubbles , about some sort of epilogue at this end of this, I'm honestly not sure yet how it will end. We will have to see.**


	114. Chapter 114

Chapter 114

It was with a bittersweet feeling that Yuugi left Mr and Mrs Wong in the briefing room. She felt the initial self-satisfaction from retaliating to Vivian's attempted kidnapping and bullying, but she couldn't help feeling sorry for anyone that would be affected by their actions. That included the Wongs. The parents hadn't technically done anything to Yuugi and Yami, yet they were the ones being blackmailed for the actions of their daughter.

"What's the glum look for scrub?" said Bakura, giving Yuugi a nudge on the shoulder. "You're finally going to get Vivian off your back."

"I know." sighed Yuugi. "I just feel bad for getting her parents dragged into this. They haven't done anything to me."

"Don't feel sorry for them." said Yami. "They're as despicable as their daughter, as you just witnessed."

"They were just trying to protect their daughter. I can't blame them for that."

Yami sent her a look.

"Yuugi, there's a reason we were able to blackmail them. Vivian got her horrible nature somewhere."

"I know, and I'm glad we did it. I know we needed to. I just don't like how I feel after blackmailing someone."

Yami smiled, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. "That, I can accept. You wouldn't be _you_ if you enjoyed that. I know I did."

She returned the gesture, giving a halfhearted smile. Too much had happened tonight for her to be her usual happy self. She felt exhausted from stress. All she wanted to do was go home and sleep. In fact, she was going to do just that… right after she said goodbye to her friends.

Turning the corner, she entered a sitting room full of her friends. Jounouchi, Honda, Mokuba, Marik, Mal, Tristan, and even Anzu was there. Where Anzu had come from Yuugi had no idea. There was also Rafael, who had apparently followed the group, though he hadn't mingled with them.

The second Yuugi entered, Anzu stood up from the couch and threw her arms around Yuugi.

"I'm so glad you're alright!" she said, pulling Yuugi back and getting a good look at her. "When I saw you disappear, I just knew something was wrong. I can't believe that slut thought she could get away with this."

"Saw me disappear?" said Yuugi confused. "Not that I don't love you Anzu, but I had no idea you were here tonight."

Anzu let out a laugh, giving a peace sign. "Me and Honda were in the security room watching the cameras." she said. "I was the one that noticed you and Mal had disappeared. I was in such a panic."

"She was." agreed Honda, lifting a sleeve of his shirt. "She grabbed me and gave me a rash. Look!"

"Oh hush, it builds character." said Anzu, slapping away his arm with a pout. Honda danced away with grumbles of not wanting to be touched with 'girl cooties' again.

"Thank you, guys." said Yuugi, her smile returning at seeing her friends. "You were watching out for me and I didn't even know you guys were there. Thank you all so much." She was so touched by their help and kindness. They had come together to keep her safe and it had paid off in an incredible way.

The group accepted her thanks in their own unique ways. Anzu smiled and waved it off as if it were nothing. Honda gave a nod - from a safe distance of course. Mokuba was only half listening as he messed with his tablet, but gave Yuugi a thumbs-up. Mal smiled, already having received Yuugi's thanks earlier. Marik was heckling Yami and didn't notice. Bakura just gave a grunt and Jou grabbed Yuugi around the neck, giving her hug that nearly choked her. Oh joy.

As Yuugi struggled to push off Jou's customary form of affection and abuse, she couldn't help noticing the lone man standing in the corner, still present. Why was Rafael even here still? As Anzu managed to drag Jou off Yuugi and give him a lecture about 'not being able to treat Yuugi like that anymore,' Yuugi's eyes met Rafael's.

Nothing changed in his expression, and she continued to hold his gaze, wondering if he wanted something. She watched for any nonverbal sign to show her what he was thinking. She tilted her head, sending him a long-distance question of what he was doing here.

The man grimaced in response, pushed off the wall and walked away.

Yuugi narrowed her eyes.

 _Oh no you don't._

"Be right back." she said to Yami, dodging Marik who was attempting to pull her into the conversation… literally.

Rafael hadn't gotten far by the time Yuugi caught up with him. It was almost as if he had wanted Yuugi to follow. To have a private conversation. She couldn't blame him if that was his intention. He stopped in the hall, turning his head as if waiting for her to catch up, which she did. She kept a safe distance, still unsure what she thought of this man.

"Yami told me what happened." Said Yuugi, "You helped find me, correct?"

"I did." Said Rafael.

"Thank you." Said Yuugi earnestly. "I also want to apologize. I uh, thought you might have be helping Vivian."

Rafael turned to face her completely, his eyebrows knitting together. Almost as if he were confused. "What gave you that impression?"

"The way you taunted me in front of Yami's parents for one." Said Yuugi, remembering that second meeting and the panic that had accompanied it. "Then you've riled up my friends, and… I don't know, you're hard to read. I've meet enough people that are openly hostile toward me and I was positive you didn't like me. You did say that the scandal incident in the papers presented you with an opportunity."

Footsteps approached, and Yuugi glanced behind to see Yami. He didn't come close enough to interrupt, but he was close enough to indicate he was waiting politely for her. His arms were crossed, wearing an expression similar to Rafael's: Brows drawn and lips pulled in a tight frown.

Yuugi turned her attention back to Rafael, scratching her neck sheepishly.

"I guess what I'm trying to say," she said. "is that I'm confused. I just want to know if you're a friend, enemy, or what."

Rafael's eyes flickered to Yami, then back to her again. His frown disappeared as a new smirk pulled at his lips.

"I have no interest in being just friends with you Yuugi." Said Rafael. "And I am most certainly not Yami's friend."

That… was not an answer to her question. She tilted her head in confusion.

"So… can I consider you an ally or what?" said Yuugi. "Do you dislike Yami's family?" It would explain why he didn't want to be Yami's friend. Though she didn't understand his bit about wanting to be more than friend with-

The light clicked.

Yuugi froze, face heating up in embarrassment and humiliation. He couldn't have meant- there was no way! Rafael's smirk widened in amusement, the sight making her feel more self-conscious. The man took a step toward her, and in the next second Yami was there, one arm wound around Yuugi's waist as she was pressed to his side. He was glaring openly at Rafael.

The blonde didn't acknowledge Yami as he slowly and deliberately took one of Yuugi's hands and kissed the back of it. Now Yuugi was certain she must be dreaming, because there was no way Rafael was indicating he had some sort of romantic interest in her. The hand was knocked away a second later by Yami.

"That's enough Rafael." Said Yami. "Thank you for your help, but stay away from Yuugi in the future."

"Yuugi is not a thing you can claim or order around, and neither am I." said Rafael smoothly, straightening to his full and considerable height. He was unruffled by Yami's anger, his attention still on Yuugi. "But I believe now is not the time for this. It has been a rough evening for Yuugi. You should go back to your friends."

"I um." Said Yuugi, trying to comprehend the twist on the situation. "I'm sorry, but I'm in love with Yami. That will never change."

"Of course you are." Said Rafael. "At least for now."

The man turned and walked away, one thought thrown over his shoulder. "Hold on to her tight Yami." Said Rafael. "The second you loosen your grip, I'll be there to slip her away."

"Don't hold your breath." Shot back Yami. "I don't plan on letting go."

His hold on Yuugi tightened as if to emphasize the statement. Rafael kept walking, disappearing from sight as he turned the corner.

"What the heck." muttered Yuugi. "Was that a joke or something? I'm am so confused."

"I wish it were a joke." said Yami, a notable amount of bitterness in his voice. The tone indicated that Yami certainly didn't think it was a joke, which meant it had been real.

"But it makes no sense." protested Yuugi. "Why would he like me? The first time I met him I basically called him a bastard."

"You did?" said Yami with a note of curiosity. "What did you say exactly?"

"I don't remember all of it." said Yuugi, thinking about that first meeting in the hall. She had been carrying Kiseki back to Kisara if she remembered correctly. "He was talking about how Kisara shouldn't have brought Kiseki because he was a bastard child. Then I said something to the effect that those that thought a child's worth was measured by the identity of their parents are the true bastards."

Yami bent his head with a sigh, shaking it as if he couldn't believe himself.

"What?" said Yuugi, annoyed with his response.

"Yuugi." said Yami. "All of Dartz's children are adopted. They're all effectively bastards."

"Which means...?"

Yami gave her a sympathetic smile, a hint of love in that expression. "It means, they – like Kisara and Kiseki – were met with a lot of prejudice and bullying in high society because of their heritage. They still are in fact. Rafael was probably glad to meet someone who stood up for Kiseki and Kisara so fervently. You probably couldn't have given him a better first impression."

Yuugi made an 'O' shape with her mouth, the pieces coming together.

"So he _was_ hitting on me!" she cried in disbelief. "I wasn't mistaken. But he was being such a jerk and I thought he was trying to sabotage us."

"He was, just not in the way you were thinking." Said Yami, who looked amused. "You really have no idea how you appear to others do you?"

Yuugi groaned, plopping her head into her hands. "I'm so embarrassed. I thought he was an enemy."

"He is."

"Stop that Yami. He helped us against Vivian."

"Doesn't mean he's a friend."

Yuugi grimaced, thinking at how similar Rafael and Yami's words were. Well, she had already rejected Rafael's confession. Hopefully the man wouldn't give her and Yami too much trouble in the future.

"Come on." Said Yami, pressing her side lightly. "Let's say goodbye to everyone and then get you home."

"Good idea." Said Yuugi, plopping her head against his shoulder to rest it for a moment. "Would you mind staying with me for the night? I could use the extra comfort."

Yami buried his head into her hair. She feel his smile as he pressed his lips to her temple. "Of course."

* * *

 **Thank you for your reviews! whitlaw123, Guest, metallicbubbles, Guildsnake, and guest 2 and 3! The few and mighty! I appreciate your comments and thoughts on the last chapter. I was trying to keep a good balance of Yami's rage and Yuugi's forgiving nature in their revenge. Ah well. We still have yet to see how that will turn out.**

 **I'm curious, how many of you figured out Rafael's true intentions before this chapter? I was deliberately trying to mislead you all. I'd like some feedback to know if I was successful or not. XD  
**

 **Thank you all again for reading, reviewing and such!**


	115. Chapter 115

Chapter 115

 ** _Sennen Heir seen exiting with his disheveled girlfriend._**

… Yuugi's appearance, combined with the presence of the police leaves people speculating. The reporter that snapped the photo was escorted from the premise by Kaiba's security before they could ask any questions...

 ** _Celebrity Turned Criminal: Vivian Wong, A Kidnapper?_**

...confirms reports of charges being pressed against Vivian Wong by the Yuugi Mutou and Malik Ishtar. The young heiress is being charged with sexual assault, aggravated kidnapping, and false imprisonment. Along with …

 ** _No Mercy from The Jury._**

…hard video evidence has been pulled from the scene, courtesy of Seto Kaiba's security. The Sennen family has also supplied their own personal team of lawyers to…

 ** _How did she fall so far? Vivan Wong._**

...friends admitted that Vivian had become strangely obsessed with Yami over the past years….

 ** _Vivian's Shocking New Confessions_**

...Wong's admitted to several acts of harassment against the Yuugi over the past months. Upon questioning Vivian about these supposed allegations, she confessed to each of the deeds. Details about the interview with the parents can be seen on pg. 23

 ** _Yuugi Mutou, who is she really?_**

…With new evidence falling into place each day, the picture is becoming clearer. The true nature of Yuugi has been covered up by fabrications crafted by the vindictive Vivan Wong. So now it begs the question; Who is Yuugi really, and how did this young unknown woman claim the young heir's heart?

…Both Yami and Yuugi have yet to make a statement, despite attempts to contact them…

* * *

Yuugi clicked through her phone, another small shake making her smile. It was another message, this one from Kisara.

From: xxx-xxx-7483

 ** _I know you can do it Yuugi, we're rooting for you!_**

Yugi shot her back a quick reply, exiting the conversation to look at her inbox. It was filled with messages from all her friends, giving her words of encouragement. Many had offered to come, but she had declined them all. She'd have felt a little silly if almost twenty people had come just to support her at her first interview.

Yami walked up to her, motioning to one of the stage hands.

"They should be done in twenty minutes." He said. "They're working on getting the wires fixed up."

"Alright." Agreed Yuugi, trying not to feel sick. It wasn't as if it was live so they could cut the tape if she said something stupid.

Her phone vibrated again, and she clicked it open to see another message from Kisara.

From: xxx-xxx-7483

 **Also… I know she was wrong, but please try to forgive her. She's trying to make it better I promise.**

Yuugi blinked at the message, no clue what Kisara was talking about.

The door to the waiting room opened, and someone Yuugi knew walked in.

It was Mana.

"Mana." Said Yami, getting to his feet. "This is a surprise."

Based on his tone it wasn't a pleasant one. Mana either didn't notice Yami's cold tone or chose to ignore it. Though knowing Mana, she probably did the latter constantly.

"That was the point." She said with an impatient air. "If you had known I was coming you would have told the security not to let me in."

"For good reason."

Mana shook her head, "I know you're more cautious after what happened, but not everyone is certified crazy. Nor do they have enough free time in their lives to obsess so much about your own. Besides, I come in peace."

The woman walked over the Yuugi, swinging a black garment bag over her shoulder. She hung the bundle on a rod, placing her hand on her hip.

"I wanted to apologize to the both of you." She said. "For giving up the tape. It was one of the most shameful things I have ever done in my career."

"Most of the damage has already been taken care of." Said Yuugi, waving the apology away. "I can't speak for Yami, but it's water under the bridge for me"

"Not for me." said Yami, which wasn't surprising. He'd taken root beside Yuugi, a nonverbal sign of defense. A position where he could come to Yuugi's aid instantly. He'd gotten so much worse over the last week, but she had hoped he was getting better… apparently not judging by his glare.

"I didn't expect you to." Said Mana with a huff. "Which is why I came to give you some advice."

"Thanks, but not interested."

Yuugi rolled her eyes, patting Yami's arm sympathetically.

"Why did you do it anyway?" said Yuugi. Maybe if they found out the reason Yami would be more sympathetic toward her. "Why did you give us up?"

"Blackmail." Said Mana. "Plain and simple blackmail."

"Like that's stopped you before." Said Yami.

Gosh, he wasn't sympathetic at all. Well at least Yuugi had been right. Mana _had_ been blackmailed.

Mana scoffed at the comment. "Yes, but this time I was attacked on all levels. My position, my work, my identity." She shivered. "I'll tell you, since you'll find out anyway. Vivian found out I am an emerged female."

Yuugi shared a look with Yami, who looked entirely unimpressed.

"And how is that a big deal?" said Yami.

"Because I resent it." Said Mana, a note of bitterness entering her voice. "I changed when I was young, but I never wanted to be female. Still don't as a matter of fact. I only dress up because no one would take a cross dressing-lesbian reporter seriously. And neither would my boss. He holds a personal grudge against emerged women. The second he finds out one of his employees is one-" She made a 'tisk' sound, jerking her head to the side. "It's hasta la vista for you. And I was so close to a promotion…"

She shook her head. "You know what? Doesn't matter. I'm done being ashamed of who and what I am, and so is Yuugi I'm sure. And that made me think, wouldn't this be the best place to show that to the world?"

Mana tugged at the zipped, revealing the clothes hidden behind the garment bag. As the black plastic was pulled back, Yuugi's eyes widened, a glint entering them.

"Don't you want to show the world you're proud of who you are?" she said. "That you can stand by Yami without shame?"

Yuugi stood up, crossing the room to look at the outfit inside. She couldn't help excitement bubbling inside of her.

 _This._ This is exactly what she needed.

"I'm wearing it." She said, turning to Yami with excitement. He wasn't unaffected, a much more tempered excitement hijacking his features as he examined the garment. But it was excitement all the same. His hand thumbed the fabric, eyes flickering to her. It was obvious he wanted to see her in it.

The moment was broken as a stage hand waved to them, clip board in hand and wired to his radio.

"You've got seven minutes." He said, "They're almost done. Get any last-minute preparations take care of."

Yuugi's heart thumped, but instead of nerves, it was in anticipation. A good thump. Like riding a roller coaster and looking out from the top, thrilled to take the plunge.

"Mana." Said Yami. "I just might forgive you yet."

Mana gave a wink. "You can't stay mad at me, admit it. Now come on, we don't have much time."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **No, no smexy make up scene at the end of the night, sorry. I never had one planned and I seriously doubt anything would have happened. More than likely, Yuugi just fell asleep holding Yami, who held her just as tightly watching over her until he too fell asleep. Yay. Typical. The end.**

 **Thanks for your reviews! ShadowNinja45567, Mistoka, Deji princess, metallicbubbles, Guest, walt Disney and anime, YamixYugi4evr, Lily D. Cave, whitlaw123, and Guildsnake. Thanks a ton for feedback on the previous chapter! Yall are boss! Jealous Yami is hot. Ha! Hmm, interesting take Mistoka, but I can totally see it like that as well... oh that would be so much fun... just stick Hisoka in any story and it gets better instantly just because of the LoLz and things he could wreck.  
**


	116. Chapter 116

Chapter 116

Three women sat on a long couch, each beautiful with faces painted to perfection for the camera. There were cups of tea resting on the coffee table before each one. It created a personal setting, like good friends sitting together in a living room. That was the intent of this show, emulating the stereotype that women gossiped about everything when together.

The one with an exuberant purple bob waved to the camera, flashing a sassy smirk. She waited for the applause from the live audience to die before speaking.

"Welcome back to Gossip Circle." Said Zozo, "We're moving topics to talk about a newer piece of gossip, one that's had the papers buzzing for weeks."

"Ohh, I think I know which one you're talking about." Said Kanna, clapping her palms together. The gossip journalist, professional in appearance with her low bun and red business suit couldn't help letting her enthusiasm for the topic show.

"If you're thinking about the hottest couple in japan right now, then that's a topic I'm interested in." Said the third smoothly, Felicia. She flicked her long-dyed hair over her shoulder. It allowed her low-cut dress to be more visible. Along with other assets.

Kanna pumped her fist, biting at her lip in victory. "Yes, I'm glad we've finally reached that. I've been excited to talk about them."

"You had the opportunity to interview them yesterday, correct?" said Felicia.

"Yes I did, and let me say that it was one of the cutest interviews I have ever had the pleasure to do." The woman gave a fake swoon, the play for the cameras more than anything else.

Zozo chuckled at her colleague's antics before addressing the camera. "If you missed the interview yesterday, Yami Sennen and Yuugi Mutou did their first interview since the two have come out publicly with their relationship. Kanna had the pleasure of talking with them both before and after the interview. We've seen the video – or at least those that checked online- what can you tell us from behind the scenes?"

"Nothing more than what was really said." Said Kanna putting a hand to her cheek in thought. "When most people are away from the cameras, that's when they let their true feelings show. Their true personality. I can't tell you how many times I've seen fights or disagreements right before filming. It's all put on hold as the person smiles for the camera, looks their best and plays nice. There was none of that with the two of them. They were very polite and acted much the same on and off camera. Though Yuugi was a little nervous."

"Most people are." Chipped in Felicia.

"Oh hush, you were the same when you first appeared." Chided Zozo, and the topic shifted as the girls reminisced about their first days on the show.

"Moving on." Said Zozo, shushing the two arguing women. "Let's show a few clips from the highlights just to get some of our audience up to speed."

The other two chirped in agreement, and the large flat screen behind them flickered on. The camera's focus change from the women to the tape playing on the screen.

It first showed Kanna, hair and outfit different, depicting it was a different day. She sat on a single-seater, legs cross in front of two other guests.

Sitting tall and confident, Yami Sennen in all his exotic handsomeness smiled politely at the interviewer, one hand on his girlfriend's knee… Except his girlfriend didn't look much like a girlfriend. Instead of a dress or blouse, she was sporting a men's suit.

The V-neck underneath gave it a casual air, something that said she was dressed smart, but not uptight. Her hair had been pulled back into a low braid, face clear of any makeup. She looked like a very feminine guy, and more importantly, she looked completely at home in the outfit.

Kanna was currently talking, the clip taken from a portion past the introductions.

"How did you do it?" said Kanna. "How did you manage to secure the most elusive bachelor of your generation?"

The question was directed toward Yuugi, who answered with a shy look to her boyfriend. His own smirk was predatory, sly and dominant.

"You're assuming a few things in that question." Yuugi finally said, giving a light laugh. It was genuine and a little shaken, but it conveyed all her honest goodness. Her face was lit up in a smile that made those around her want to answer it with their own. Kanna didn't have to try to keep her face and posture active and engaged. Her body was responding naturally, earnestly wanting to converse and talk with these two.

"The first of which is that Yuugi chased me." finished Yami, leaning back with the heir of a king. "Which was definitely not the case."

"Hold the phone." Said Kanna, holding up a hand as if to stop everyone around her to notice what was happening. It was that big of a deal. "Are you saying that you, Yami Sennen pursued Yuugi?"

"I did." Said Yami. "And when I asked her out, I was put on hold for a week before she answered. Well, she rejected me initially but asked for more time to consider, which I was more than happy to provide."

"You rejected him?" said Kanna, and Yuugi shrugged.

"He was my best friend, and I had never thought of him that way." She explained. "I needed time to think. The more I thought about it, the more I realized what Yami meant to me."

Kanna aww'ed, lips pressed into a happy smile. "Friends turned into lovers. You are an inspiration for all other men who want to leave the friend zone."

Yami grimaced. "It wasn't easy." He admitted. "But ultimately I couldn't keep quiet any longer. I had to know if I stood a chance."

The two were now focused on each other, Yami's face soft and loving. Yuugi's own held just as much emotion.

The recording skipped, switching to another highlight. Kanna had just stopped laughing, the three getting more comfortable with each other as the interview went on.

Kanna waved at Yuugi. "Your outfit Yuugi. It's very masculine."

"It is." Said Yuugi, glancing down at the suit, sighing in bliss. "And I can't tell you how good it feels to wear."

"Well you're looking sharp, if I may say so." she said with a wink. "Is there a reason you chose this specific outfit?"

"There is actually." Said Yuugi, perking up. "There's been a lot of speculation in the media that the only reason Yami is dating me is because I emerged. This is my response to those claims."

Kanna smirked approvingly. "That's one way to address the issue. What do you think about it Yami?"

"Hmm?" said Yami, who hadn't been listening. His attention had been elsewhere. He took his sweet time separating his gaze from Yuugi's form. "Ah, excuse me. I got distracted."

Kana responded by laughing.

"I guess that answers that question."

Again the scene cut, and now the atmosphere had turned more serious.

"I know it's hard to talk about." Said Kanna. "Is there anything you wanted to say about it?"

"There is." Said Yuugi taking a shaky breath. "It's mostly to anyone else that has experienced any form of harassment or bullying. Mine is an extreme example but… I want to let others know that you don't have to go through it alone. Find your friends and family. A support group. Someone that you can trust to help you through it, and don't give up on yourself. It may be hard to come out and admit to what is happening to you, and the backlash may sting, but you can't let them win. You can't let them shame you for something that's not your fault."

She looked to her boyfriend, who briefly tightened his grip on her hand. His lips moved, too quiet for the mics to pick up. Yuugi must have heard it, for her face lit up, the somber tone disappearing.

The clips ended, and the screen returned to its normal view of the women. They all turned around to face the front, each smiling at the scene.

"Aren't they just adorable?" gushed Kanna. "They were such a delight to interview. Especially miss Yuugi. I almost feel like we've been left out of a huge secret. I mean, this woman appears from nowhere, yet apparently has friends everywhere. The Sennens, Kaibas, Ishtars. Those are some huge names she's familiar with. And they're not the only ones, not by a far cry. Where were they hiding this woman? I feel foolish for not knowing her before this."

"She doesn't seem to be one for seeking the spotlight." Said Felicia. "If her almost-complete-radio-silence with the papers has been any indication."

Kana gave a sigh, no doubt still annoyed. "I'm not saying she just knows the families." The woman said impatiently. "She is _friends_ with them. Close friends. Seriously, the more people I talk to that know her personally the more I feel as if I was gypped. I want to be Yuugi's friend!"

The other two laughed, agreeing with their friend.

"Well, now that Yami's brought her out into the open we will have that opportunity." Said Zozo. "Or, do you think this relationship is going to last?"

"Ohhh." Said Kanna, drawing out her words with enthusiastic exaggeration. As if she were explaining something of global significance. "If you guys could have _seen_ these two together. It's so obvious they are in love."

"We did."

Kanna slapped Felicia on the knee playfully. "Not in the interview silly. It's obvious there too. I'm telling you, they toned it down for the cameras. That man is completely head-over-heels and falling-down-the-stairs in love with her."

There was a collective laughter from the audience at Kanna's enthusiasm.

"Now, you didn't get to ask much about the incident with Vivian did you?" said Zozo. "We saw a brief portion of it from that clip, but was there more?"

"We agreed to glance over it." Said Kanna with a grimace. "Honestly, when I brought it up before filming I felt bad. It's obviously still a sore spot with the two of them."

"And who can blame them?" said Felicia dryly. "A freaking crazy woman kidnapped the poor girl and she has to relive it constantly. What with the court case and everyone talking about it."

"Not to mention the lies she had spread." Pipped in Zozo. "Girl, if that hoe had tried any of that with me, I would have bitch slapped her so hard..."

"I'd pay to see that." Said Felicia. "I've said Vivian was crazy for years. She's got the crazy eyes, I'm telling you."

"Girls!" said Kanna, hands out to stem their conversation. "How have we not talked about the elephant in the room yet?"

"Excuse me?" said Zozo, raising an eyebrow as if she were offended. It took a moment for Kanna to notice what Zozo was pointing out, which was her curvier-than-skinny-body.

The audience laughed, and Kanna rolled her eyes.

"Not that." Said Kanna, "I'm talking about what Yuugi was wearing."

"You mean that smart suit?" said Felecia, tracing her finger around her lips. The movement was slow and methodical -and more importantly - delightfully seductive to the audience. "Yes, she looked good. I might have mistaken her as a male if I didn't know any better."

"Ah, and don't we all know Felicia has an eye for men. Hmm hmm." Said Zozo, humming in agreement. "Sorry Felli, but she's a _she_ , and she's taken."

Felicia clicked her tongue in annoyance, almost as if she considered those to be minor problems.

"I think it was a bold move." Said Zozo. "And it looks like it paid off too. There's been a poll on-line to see what people thought about it. She's getting pretty good feedback."

"Yes, and a lot of other emerged women have started to come out into the open." Said Kanna. "Did you read Kelli's blog yesterday? I had no idea she was an emerged woman!"

"It looks like other women are rallying around Yuugi now." Said Zozo. "She might have accidentally made herself into the poster child for emerged women."

"I say good for her." Said Felicia, raising her cup in a silent toast. "She's already proven herself to be a strong steadfast person in the face of adversary. She'd do a good job in my opinion."

"Ah, it looks like we're out of time." Said Kanna, glancing at the clock with a pout. "Ah man, we always have to end when it's getting to the good part."

"No one loves a gossip like you Kanna." Grinned Zozo. "Anyway, thank you all for watching! We'll see you all next time on Gossip Circle!"

The camera slowly backed up, the mics muting as the women leaned in closer, still continuing their conversation. It left the audience wanting to hear more. To continue gossiping and coming back to hear what would be said next. Then the screen died as the show came to an end.

* * *

Yuugi flicked off the TV, her lips twitching as several different emotions sped through her. Yami, who was sitting beside her on the coach, wrapped an arm around her and gave her a side hug.

"That wasn't bad." Said Yami. "It was very good actually. They praised you a lot."

"I'm not a poster child for emerged women!" said Yuugi, exasperated. "I just wanted to be left alone. Gosh! Why do people think I was trying to make a point about everyone when I was trying to make a point about me?"

"Don't you see Yuugi, that's why it worked." Said Ryou, who was sitting in the single-seater.

They had come over to watch the broadcast at Ryou's apartment, the poor woman too sick to leave. She was wrapped up in a comforter, a steaming cup of tea in her hands. Her face was still a little red as she took a sip and gave a satisfying sigh.

"People can tell when you're being insincere," continued Ryou. "especially in the media. They saw what you stood for and felt inspired to do the same. I know I did after seeing how fearlessly you took on your change."

Yuugi allowed herself a shy smile at Ryou's praise. "Thanks man." She said. "Or woman, take your pick."

"Sure thing." Said Ryou, her smile fading. "I just wish I could have helped you at the party."

"It's not your fault." Said Yuugi, not wanting her friend to beat herself up about it.

"Yeah, it's not your fault." Said Mal. Him, Marik and Bakura were seated at the kitchen bar counter, enjoying a drink as they watched the show. Bakura's drink probably had alcohol in it and it was likely Marik's did as well.

They weren't the only ones there. Jou, Honda and Anzu were present as well, scattered throughout the room.

"I agree." Said Honda, holding up his can of soda. "It's Bakura's fault for getting you pregnant."

Ryou's face hardened. "For the last time, I'm not pregnant. I have mono." She said with an air of someone tired of explaining things.

"That's a load of bull." Said Marik, nodding to Bakura. "If you had mono, Mr. Fluffy here would have it as well."

"You know," started Ryou, "It's not usual for someone to have the mono virus and not show any symptoms of it. Bakura might have gotten sick before he met me and-"

"Ten bucks says she's pregnant." Said Mairk, who wasn't listening to Ryou anymore. "Anyone want to take me up on it?"

Honda and Jou were quick to join in, adding their bets to the pile. Ryou plopped her head into her hand, obviously too tired to keep bothering with them.

Another hand came to rest on Yuugi's and she looked up to see Anzu smiling happily at her from her spot on the couch.

"I still can't believe they talked about you on Gossip Circle!" she gushed. "Oh, you're going to be the envy of all the girls at school."

 _Wasn't I already by dating Yami?_ Yuugi grumbled to herself. She couldn't help a small part of herself grinning at the idea. Hey, she was human, and she was allowed to feel a sense of superiority over those petty girls who liked to pick on her. They weren't the ones that got such praise on a celebrity gossip show.

The only thing that sucked about all this was the rebound effect it was already having on her life. After that interview with Kanna, Yuugi's offers for talk and news shows had skyrocketed, changing from flattering to annoying. She hoped it would all blow over and the topic of her life and emergence would be a flash in the pan.

"Thanks Anzu." Said Yuugi. "I'm just glad it's over with. Well, at least that part."

There was still one last thing her and Yami had yet to address. The last thing that stood in the way of their relationship. They had already agreed on how they were going to address it. After this, there would be no more regrets.

"That's right." Said Yuugi suddenly, remembering something. "I got the signature like you asked."

Anzu let out a shriek of delight as Yuugi took something from her bag, handing it to Anzu. The woman held it in her hands as if it were gold, eyes sparkling. It was a picture of Kanna with her signature. Anzu loved those gossip shows to pieces, especially Kanna.

She yelled as Marik plucked it from her hands, squinting at it with a pout.

"How come you didn't get me anything?" he said. "After all the effort I put into helping you."

"You didn't ask for anything." Said Yami, smoothly taking the picture away from Anzu and handing it back to her. "And Anzu asked for it specifically."

"First you wouldn't let me prank Vivian." Drawled Marik, who wasn't listening to Yami. "Then you didn't get me a present."

"Not true." Said Yuugi, taking a discrete sip of her drink. "I definitely got you something you'll enjoy."

Marik opened his mouth to say something, but a sudden squeak got his attention. Mal was glaring hard at Yuugi, face red from where he had fallen from his chair.

"Ohhhh." Said Bakura, an evil grin on his face. "I know what that face means."

"Shut up!" shouted Mal, who jumped to his feet quickly. It was a natural reaction as this point as he narrowly avoided Marik tackling him.

"Someone's getting laid tonight!" laughed Jou, raising his cup in the air. "Here's to another one of our friends getting pregnant."

Mal Roared: "Men can't get pregnant, idiot!" at the same time Ryou yelled: "I'm not pregnant!"

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **And gosh, thanks for all the reviews! Guest 1 and 2, Guildsnake, whitlaw123, metallicbubbles, Mistoka, KristalSkarlet, TeenageLoverAi, Guest 3 and 4, Unitato722, CottonCoccon, Jaylonni Love, watermellow and Contentkarma347. Especially those last two new readers. Ohh man I'm so flattered you have taken the time to read this. It's different taking a few days to read it straight through than one chapter at a time as it comes I appreciate none of you have torn into me with all my grammar mistakes. I just accept them as a part of me after a while. SIgh.  
**

 **I really appreciate all of you for taking the time to leave a review! It makes my day!**

 **Some of you guessed right on the outfit. It made sense to me. :P**


	117. Chapter 117

Chapter 117

Seeing Yami's massive house wasn't as intimidating as the first time Yuugi had been there. Sure, it was still weird that maids opened all the doors and it was still strange to think of Yami living here, but it wasn't intimidating. She wasn't scared anymore, and there was a very good reason why.

Yuugi and Yami entered the waiting room. Izumi's secretary, Julia, was there like before. She peered up at them from her desk, eyebrows and lips lined to straight points.

"You're right on time." She stated, as if it were an expected and normal fact for visitors to be there when they were supposed to be. "Go on in."

Yuugi exchanged one last look - one last squeeze of their hands before Yuugi turned and waltzed straight through the doors. They closed behind her as she once again faced Izumi within her office.

This time the woman wasn't at her desk. She was standing by a filing cabinet, sorting through some papers in her hand. She glanced at Yuugi through her fringe, short hair brushing her chin at the movement. She was still as ageless as always.

"Yuugi, I'm glad you could make it." Said Izumi without a hint of real friendliness in her voice. It was a pleasantry, so often repeated it had lost its meaning. "Please, sit down."

Yuugi did as she was expected, taking her seat in front of the desk. She waited silently for Izumi, proud that she didn't feel the urge to shift in her seat. She was calm as Izumi finished shifting through her files, grimacing at a particular one.

"You'll have to excuse my inattention." Said Izumi, yanking on another paper before filing the folder back in its place. "But it's been a little more hectic than usual. What with the business merger as well as your court case."

"It's understandable." Said Yuugi, her tone genuine, unlike Izumi's. "Thank you for your help with that. I wasn't expecting to get any help in that regard."

Izumi slammed the filing drawer shut with more force than was necessary. It clanged noisily, shaking the cabinet.

"She tarnished the family's image with her scandals and persistence." Said Izumi coldly. "I will not tolerate such behavior."

For a heartbeat, Yuugi felt that Izumi was talking about her. About all the problems she had created by dating Yami. It disappeared a second later as Yuugi's new outlook filtered through the feeling and disposed of it. A new outlook she had been developing for months since she emerged.

That she wasn't apologetic for who, or what she was.

It had felt so strange to arrive at this fact. She had always known it. Known to be proud of who she was and to like herself. But knowing it was different from believing it on a personal and emotional level. It had taken her this long to adjust to her emergence and learn to love herself. To accept her identity as a female. But now that she had, she wore this fact like an armor against Izumi's radiating disapproval.

It had also allowed her to approach Izumi with a greater sense of self-confidence than she could have imagined.

So Yuugi didn't flinch at Izumi's words. Her heart stirred for a moment, a trained reaction she was still in the process of overwriting, but she wasn't swayed into shame like she might have before.

She didn't speak as she waited for Izumi to take her seat. The few seconds of silence weren't uncomfortable.

Finally, Izumi stopped her movements, giving Yuugi her full attention. Those red eyes were trained on Yuugi without a hint of wavering. Their blazing gaze might have scared others, but Yuugi found comfort in them, for they were the same eyes of her lover.

"So, what is it that you wished to speak to me about?" said Izumi. "As I just said, I am very busy and don't have much time."

"Did you see the interview with Yami and I?" said Yuugi.

"I did. What of it?"

"Did you see what I was wearing?"

"Yes."

"Do you remember what you said to me the last time I was in this office?" said Yuugi. "You asked me how I was going to handle those that saw who I was and were disgusted with it. If you watched my interview, you saw my answer to your question."

Yuugi saw the connection in Izumi's eyes. They flickered as scarlet emotions shifted through them, never ceasing in their movement.

Yuugi knew this was it. The final judgement being called upon her.

"So, what is that answer?" She said slowly, "I want to hear exactly what you wish to say to me."

"That I don't need their approval." Said Yuugi, "And to clarify, it wasn't just a message to them, but to you as well."

The movement in Izumi's eyes stopped.

Yuugi took a deep breath, calming her beating heart as she pressed forward. "I don't need your approval either Izumi." Said Yuugi, gaze unwavering. "No matter your choice from this point, I have made mine. And I will not apologize for it. I love Yami, and I love who I am. I don't need your blessing for either fact."

Izumi's lips twitched. The woman leaned back in her seat, her expression still unreadable.

"And this is your final answer to me?" said Izumi. "Even though it may mean Yami being disinherited from his family? Or that your grandfather may lose his house? You are being awfully selfish."

"Funny, Vivian said the same thing to me when I refused to listen to her."

Izumi raised an eyebrow, a sign that Yuugi had irked her, but she couldn't celebrate the small victory. Making the connection between the two women had greatly lowered her mood. She had hoped Izumi would be more sensible than that brat.

Yuugi stood to leave, unable to suppress a sigh.

"I really wanted this to work out Izumi." Said Yuugi. "But I can't force you to accept me, and I'm done caring what you think. What the world thinks. Thank you for giving us this chance, but I'm calling it off."

It would hurt, losing her house and Yami's inheritance, but dragging this out any longer was pointless. After the scandal with Vivian, Yuugi could never get Izumi's approval.

And Yuugi found she didn't care.

In fact, it felt amazing to imagine. Walking by Yami without questioning her every move. Wondering if Izumi would find out about it later. Losing sleep over the possibility. It was without a doubt, time to end this. To let them all know that Yuugi Mutou was done caring what Izumi thought of her.

The only regret Yuugi felt was toward her friends. They'd helped her so much and she hadn't been able to capitalize their efforts.

Izumi stood, her movements fluid as she silently walked to her bookshelf.

It was with a great deal of confusion that Yuugi watched Izumi move so calmly. She had expected some sort of emotional reaction. Frustration, annoyance. Anything but this seemingly graceful apathy toward Yuugi's declaration. Didn't she realize she was going to lose her son?

Yuugi's confusion increased when Izumi returned, holding out a manila envelope.

Yuugi took it cautiously, remembering the last time she had been handed one. She hesitated before opening it, watching Izumi for any indication that she wasn't supposed to do so. When she didn't, Yuugi tore into it, eyes widening at what she saw.

"This…" Said Yuugi. "Why have you given me the deed to my grandfather's house?"

"Because it is now yours." Said Izumi.

Yuugi opened her mouth.

Closed it.

Then opened it again.

"I'm still lost." Said Yuugi, dumbfounded. "I just said I didn't care about getting your approval and called off the bet. Why are you handing me the ownership of my house?"

"Because you just succeeded in getting my approval." Said Izumi. "I have no use for this anymore."

That didn't answer Yuugi question. It just made her even more confused. Why the hell would Izumi approve of Yuugi now? Was this a joke? Or was this another part in Izumi's scheme to get rid of Yuugi?

"I'm sorry." Said Yuugi. "You're going to have to explain that to me. How did I manage to get your approval?"

"There are a few things to always remember in business." Said Izumi, holding up a finger. "First, is to make connections with as many people as possible. You never know who can end up being useful." She held up another finger. "Second, is to always be one step ahead of your enemies." One last finger. "And the third and most important lesson is to stand your ground. If you surrender your actions due to the opinions of others, you will be controlled instead of command. Yami has always known these things, but I was not convinced that you did."

Izumi smirked, the expression finally revealing her thoughts. Through that smirk, Yuugi saw the truth. An undeniable level of pride and triumph radiating from Izumi.

And it was directed at Yuugi.

"Your answer to me today," Continued Izumi. "as well as your friends, actions and preparations against Vivian persuaded me to believe that you may understand them as well. So for now, you have my approval."

"So this deed…" said Yuugi slowly, trying to make sure she understood Izumi correctly. "If I understand your points correctly, it was a precaution so that no one could hurt your son through me. But it was also a lesson to the both of us to always watch our weak points, as well as a weapon to use against me if needed."

"Exactly." Said Izumi, pleased that Yuugi had understood.

"I don't believe this." said Yuugi, "I was sure you'd never approve of me." She stared at the envelope, as if it would vanish at any second. A huge part of her denied what she had just heard, while the other part was stuck on Izumi's unconventional criteria and teaching methods. Seriously, what the hell! But there was no reason for Izumi to lie. Had Yuugi really gotten her approval?

Her disbelief must have been obvious on her face, for Izumi rolled her eyes with an impatient air.

"I'm not blind Yuugi." she said. "I've seen your progress and I've seen the way the others have reacted to you. You've already helped our business expand and increased relations with a lot of influential parties. The media now loves you, you've got lots of friends in high places… Though you still have a lot to learn, you're personable and have never backed down from a challenge. You're a good match, as much as I hate to say it. Yami would be hard pressed to find someone that compliments him as well as you do."

With those words, it finally sunk in.

 _I did it._ Thought Yuugi. _I managed to get Izumi's approval!_ Gramps wasn't going to lose the shop. Yami wasn't going to lose his inheritance... Their efforts hadn't been in vain.

Yuugi would have jumped and hollered if she hadn't feared Izumi might take back her words at the outburst. She felt off balance with delight, sure she would float away if someone gave her a nudge. She couldn't wait to see Yami's face.

Her smile couldn't be stopped as she gave Izumi a bow. "Thank you so much." Said Yuugi, "I just... thank you." She wasn't sure what else to say. She just hoped her obvious delight was enough.

It appeared to be, as Izumi gave Yuugi a small nod.

"I am sorry that I had to make you go through that." Said Izumi, and she appeared to be genuine in the apology. She wasn't as regretful as she should have been, but for Izumi, it was a huge deal. "But I had to make sure you weren't going to hurt my son. I see how he looks at you. You hold a lot of power over him, and I had to make sure you were worthy to wield that power."

Izumi sighed, head turning to stare out the window. Her expression slacked as she leaned against the desk. A nonverbal indication that she felt comfortable in Yuugi's presence to drop her uptight bearing.

"I came from a less wealthy family." Said Izumi. "I was still considered upper class, but I was an uncultured boor compared to the other billionaires around me. I didn't let that stop me. I pursued Yami's father and he saw the potential in me. Even with a good background, I was met with harsh criticism. It was very hard on Yami's father and I didn't wish the same on my son."

Yuugi couldn't help it. She chuckled, hugging the folder to her chest. "And Yami was convinced you did this for the sake of your company. I'm not sure he'll believe me when I say it was because you love him."

"Why wouldn't I love my own son?" she said, as if the notion was strange. She flashed a mild glare at Yuugi. "I just don't see fit to keep such a hands-off approach to his development. As we have seen in a recent example, that sort of indulgent leads to ruin."

Yuugi didn't bother pointing out that Iaumi had a _very_ hands off approach to parenting compared to normal people. Seriously, who let their child sleep over at another person's house five days of the week? But, Yuugi supposed, it was a different way of showing love. It was a concern for his education and social eloquence, as opposed to his emotional wellbeing. With how stiff his mother and father were, she could imagine they were unable to comprehend the need to do so. Some people expressed their love in different ways.

"Well, do you want to tell him the news?" said Yuugi, nodding toward the door. "He's outside if you want to talk to him."

"No, I don't have time." Said Izumi with a shake of her head. "He'll want to rant and I need to get this order done so I can concentrate on the merger. I'll be seriously glad when Yami graduates and he can help out."

"You never planned to disinherit him, did you?" said Yuugi slowly.

Izumi snorted. "As if I'd allow such a thing. Don't tell Yami or his father. Both will press each other to do better if they don't know."

Yuugi chuckled, her opinion of Izumi growing. Sure, she hadn't forgotten all the heartache Izumi had caused her and Yami, but she was staring to understand why she had done what she had done. Even more importantly, Yuugi was starting to understand Izumi better.

"I'll keep my lips shut for now." Said Yuugi, with a smile. "Look forward to his grade reports."

"I expect nothing but the best." Said Izumi, as if it were expected to think this way. And for Yami, she probably wasn't wrong.

* * *

Yuugi walked from Izumi's room, smile plastered on her face. She was still trying to comprehend the pleasant conversation she had just had with Izumi for the last twenty minutes. It was so surreal.

Yami stood up from his chair the second he saw her, concern written all over his face.

"How did it go?" he asked. "You're smiling… she didn't douse you with laughing gas, did she?"

"She's not the joker." Said Yuugi, holding out he envelope. "See for yourself."

Yami took it with the same measured caution Yuugi had previously. He opened it slowly, slipping the paper from its envelope with a flourish. He stared at it for a full ten seconds without moving. From the corner of her eyes, Yuugi could see the secretary leaning over in the chair to take a peek at the deed.

"Yuugi..." Yami finally said, breathless. "Is this…"

"Exactly what you think it is." Said Yuugi happily, "We did it Yami. We got her approval."

Yami staggered back, all the tension leaving his body so quickly he almost fell. A hand came up to cover his mouth in shock as he turned wide eyes to Yuugi. He looked so relieved. The man had come here thinking he was going to be disinherited from his family. He had probably thought the envelope had included details of him being written out of the will or something. Instead he received this. Proof that he was not being disowned.

Yami grabbed Yuugi, hoisting her up into the air by her waist. Yuugi let out a cry of delight as Yami spun her around, laughing freely. She didn't care about the noise they were making or the disapproving frown from the security. At the moment, Yami was the only thing that mattered.

Her boyfriend set her back on the ground, the two of them embracing. Yuugi's heart was beating like mad as her laughter continued to infect her.

"I don't believe it." Yami said. "How? Why? Shoot I don't even know if I want to know, I'm just so glad…"

"It was everything." Said Yuugi. "It wasn't all in vain. We were enough Yami. Together we did this."

Yami readjusted, pulling Yuugi into a kiss. She pressed into it, high on the delight of their victory. After all the heartache, sleepless nights and terrifying experiences, they had done it.

Yuugi pressed herself against Yami, wanting to feel more of him against her. He met her request, the hand on her back guiding her. The impatient clearing of a throat was ignored by both of them as they continued to kiss, hands wandering and tugging each other closer. She reveled in the feeling of Yami's fingers at the base of her skull, tangling with the hairs that grew there.

The second, more distinct cough managed to graze the edge of her consciousness. She slowed in her tempo, the urgency of her kiss fading to gentle caresses. Yami nipped at her lip on last time before gazing into her eyes, a smile radiating from his face. She returned the gaze with an equal amount of emotion.

A third loud cough finally made Yuugi tear her gaze from Yami.

Julia stood beside them, her face as still as stone as she held out a business card.

"From Izumi." Said Julia. "It's the information for her paralegal. They'll help you change the name on the deed."

Yuugi put a hand to her mouth, trying to stifle the giggles that were threatening to come. Yami had enough sense to reach out and take the card from her, still smiling as if he had won the lottery.

"Thanks." Said Yami, tugging on Yuugi's hand toward the door. With a finally short bow, she followed Yami out of the house and into the bright sunlight.

On the porch of that house, Yuugi clung to her boyfriend, still so happy she just wanted to hug something. He must have been in the same state, as the arm around her waist didn't allow her to move two inches from his side.

"I still don't believe it." Said Yami, holding up the card in the light, marveling at it. "She even gave you the deed. How did you manage to do it?"

"Apparently by not trying anymore." Said Yuugi with a shrug. "When I told her we wanted to call off the agreement, she gave me her approval."

"What a backwards woman." Grumble Yami, though he was still smiling so it wasn't very effective in expressing his displeasure.

"I think it made sense in the end." Said Yuugi happily. "And I feel like I know your mother much better. She might have a horrible BRF, but she's not as bad as I thought."

"Seriously?"

"I am serious." Said Yuugi. "I think me and your mother will end up getting along great."

"If you say so." Said Yami with a grimace, obviously skeptical.

Yuugi couldn't help laughing again. It had all finally fallen into place. Her spat with Vivian, the media, and finally Izumi. It hadn't been easy, and there had been more than one occasion where she was sure it would never work out, but she had pulled through. She had conquered it all.

"After everything," she commented. "I feel like no matter what else happens, we'll be able to face it."

"Of course." Said Yami. He lowered his head to rest his cheek on her head. "We'll face it all and make it through, together."

Yuugi closed her eyes, her heart swelling in anticipation for the future. The good, the bad. It didn't matter what. It felt open, free and without any restraints. As long as Yami was with her, rain or shine, she would meet it head on.

Her smile softened as she nestled into Yami's neck

"Together." She agreed.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading!**

 **And special thanks to those that took the time to review!** **whitlaw123, Guest, Mistoka, Guest 2, metallicbubbles, Jaylonni Love, Guest 3, Phoenix Flametail, CottonCoccon, Guildsnake, Contentkarma347, Watermellow, and Bravemaridin!**

 **Alright my dears. In case some of you haven't noticed, we are almost done with the story. Like, we have one more chapter. You may say: "But King! You have yet to explain or show XYZ." To which I will say: "Yup. You're right."**

 **I'll explain more of my thinking at the end of the fic. There's only the epilogue left and then it's done!**

 **watermellow, don't worry I got you the first time. No I don't plan on following that plot line of the original manga. I just borrow the world, not so much the story lines. I'm super happy someone else is familiar with it though. You're like the second person that's mentioned the original work this is taken from (Besides Yugioh).**

 **Guest, I honestly didn't have a specific image for the suit... and I just tried to link an image and FF won't let you do it anymore. Sorries.  
**

 **And other guest... well, the next chapter will be in Yami's perspective but it's not an extra. We have no more of those. :P**

 **Mistoka... sorry I haven't explained the nickname... maybe I will later? Maybe?**

 **Thanks again for reading! I'll see you all in the next and final chapter!**


	118. Epilogue

Epilogue

-Some Years Later-

The keys rattled nosily against each other as Yami pulled them from his pocket. It took him a moment to shift through the keychains, one hand burdened by his briefcase carrying documents from work. He _hated_ bringing work home, but it was an inevitable evil that had to - on occasion - be indulged if he wanted to keep his job. And help his millions of employees keep their jobs as well.

He finally located the house key, sliding it out from under the very-worn-down Silent Magician chibi. The old keychain had seen better days.

With a final jingle and click, he entered the house.

He was immediately accosted by the sound of thundering of feet. Yami quickly pocketed his keys and set his briefcase down. He managed both just in time for a little one to thump against his leg, burring their face into his slacks.

"Yes, I'm home." Said Yami, with a smile, giving Megumi a pat on the head. The silent girl gripped his slacks harder but looked up. She had inherited Yami's personality and appearance, blessed with sharp red eyes that were permanently squinted in disapproval. At least that's what his wife said. He himself disagreed, as he could see the subtle changes in Megumi's expression. Like now. Megumi's eyes were slightly wider in delight.

"Where's your brother?" said Yami.

"With mum." Said Megumi simply, pointing farther inside the house.

"Are you going to let me go or am I going to drag you the whole way?"

"Drag me." said Megumi, her face completely serious.

"You were the one that asked."

The little girl proceeded to plop herself down on Yami's foot as he dragged her across wood and then carpet floors past the foyer.

The house was of a moderate size. Nothing too big that they had to have help with keeping it clean, but it definitely was not the house of a middle-class family. Yuugi would have been happy with a tiny house where they were all cramped and comfy, but Yami had managed to convince her to upgrade. His argument had included the necessity of having separate spaces for their children and work as well as a play room for the kids. Among other arguments, Yuugi had finally caved and they'd moved into this house.

It had all been utter crap, as the truth of the matter was that Yami just wanted the best for his family.

By the time he reached the dining room, his leg was burning from the strain. One would think after doing this on a constant basis his muscles would get used to the abuse. He spotted his son siting at the table.

Haru was currently smashing different colors of playdough into the wood surface. Other pieces were littered throughout, some carefully placed together while others were piled into an assortment of patterns that only the maker could understand. Haru's little tongue was caught between his teeth as he carefully added more green to the indistinguishable mush in front of him.

Yami's wife was seated beside Haru, talking on the phone. She glanced over her shoulder as Yami walked in, smiling at him.

Yuugi hadn't changed much over the years. She still had the largest eyes he had ever seen on a woman her age and a baby face to match. But her form had filled out from childbirth, making it impossible to mistake her for anything but a mature woman.

Her eyes lit up in recognition, finishing her conversation on the phone.

"-or anything. But if she can't buck up and think about someone else for an afternoon than I don't want her at there. Anyway, sorry but Yami just got home, can I call you later? Kay. Yeah, we'll figure it out by tomorrow. See you. Bye!"

Yuugi pulled the phone from the ear right as Yami reached her. He swooped down, sealing a quick kiss on her lips. Yuugi's eyes were gleaming in delight as he pulled away, crinkled with a dash of mischievousness.

"Who was that?" asked Yami.

"Your mother." Said Yuugi. "We're finalizing the list for Kisara's birthday party."

"Is it still a surprise?" said Yami, still dragging Megumi as he moved to give Haru a kiss on the head. The boy squirmed, batting 'daddy' away because he was 'disturbing his work.' "It would be easier if you just told her and let her invite people herself."

"Yes, but Mana is the one putting this together." Said Yuugi impatiently. "We can't tell her what to do, you know this. Plus, Kisara would just invite everyone, even those brats that do nothing but terrorize her. This way we can have a nice fun party and Kisara can be absolved of blame for any 'hurt feelings' for not being invited to the party." Yuugi quoted in the air with a disgusted face as she said it.

"True enough." Said Yami, now walking for the cabinet. He nearly fell as Megumi suddenly jumped up, sending his foot shooting out too hard. He managed to catch the handle of the fridge and stop himself from falling, sending Megumi a mild glare. The girl just stared back, completely unapologetic.

"I was just about the start getting dinner ready." Said Yuugi, who was trying to coax Haru into putting away the playdough. "Your mother is coming over in an hour to watch the kids."

Yami grimaced, as he poured himself a cup of water. "What do you think she's going to steal this time?"

"Probably your duel monster trophy." Said Yuugi, motioning to one of the display cabinets. A trophy was seated among the décor, fake gold pealing from age. Every time Izumi came over to babysit, one thing in the house would mysteriously disappear. It had taken Yami and Yuugi a while to spot the pattern as what was taken was always different. The lifted item was always something related to Yami in his younger years.

Yuugi suggested that Izumi wanted things from Yami's childhood now that she was an empty nester. He thought the idea was ridiculous, but Izumi denied the theft each time they brought it up so he had no idea what the truth was.

"Where did you managed to find that?" he said. "I thought I chucked it a long time ago."

"In the magical land of 'still unpacked boxes'."

Yami chuckled, setting down his glass as he sat next to Haru. The boy was finally getting on board with cleaning up his mess, carefully smashing playdough into each container. Haru was like a miniature version of Yuugi. Large eyes and a head of wild tricolored hair. He had even inherited his mother's sweet nature and ability to find entertainment in anything, especially when said thing was used incorrectly. The color of playdough going into each container definitely didn't match the color of the lids.

Megumi appeared beside him, grabbing at his thighs in an attempt to pull herself up into his lap. He obliged, the girl snuggling against his chest. She had been in a _'I love daddy more than mom'_ phase for the past year.

"I still can't believe you're on such good terms with my mother." Said Yami to himself. "No, we're putting them away Megumi. Inside the container they go."

"What's so surprising about it?" said Yuugi. "We've worked together for years."

"Which is why I'm still surprised. That woman is nuts."

Yuugi just chuckled, waving it away as if it was nothing. Which it wasn't. Yami's relationship with his parents had improved dramatically over the years, to the point that his past self would be gawking, but even he could only stand his parents in small doses. Yuugi was the direct cause of this. She had a way with people that made them warm up to her. She was also able to spend weeks with both of them before getting exasperated by their presence.

Yami could say that about anyone except Yuugi and their children.

"Want some help with dinner?" said Yami.

"Nah, I've got it if you can wrap the present." Said Yuugi, setting Haru down. "Haru, Megumi, can you guys go play in the living room?"

The little ones hopped down, Haru shrieking as once he realized Megumi had started chasing after him. The girl was younger, but she enjoyed terrorizing her older brother.

Yuugi winced as they turned out of sight and there was the telltale thump of one of them hitting the wall.

"If no one's crying, then everyone's alright." Said Yami, echoing Bakura's philosophy.

"Bakura says that now, but that's because he doesn't have a kid of his own." Said Yuugi. "Watch, in three months he's going to be as much a blubbering mess as you were."

"I was not a blubbering mess." Grumbled Yami. "What did you end up getting Ryou?"

"Car seat and bottle set." Said Yuugi, pointing to an assortment of bags near the wall. "I figured a good car seat will save the kid from listening to Bakura's prolific language as he gets them from the car."

"True enough."

Yuugi moved away toward the fridge, opening it. She bent down to get something from the bottom drawers. The action gave Yami a perfect rear view. His eyes wandered up and down her legs, appreciating seamless transition from thigh to round backside. Those tight pants helped his assessment of her assets.

The fridge door closed, and Yuugi turned with cheese in her hands as she raised an eyebrow to Yami. She had seen his scrutiny of her. He hadn't been trying to hide it.

He stepped closer, pinning her against the fridge with his mere presence. She peered up at him, eyes darkening to a deep violet.

"You know…" said Yuugi slowly. "We have to leave in an hour, _and_ our kids are still up."

"Minor details," He said. "and an hour is plenty of time to enjoy ourselves."

Yuugi's smile twitched, which was an indication she was starting to falter. It was technically _not_ a good sign, as it was Yuugi's level head that had stopped them from scaring their children for life on more than one occasion.

Thankfully they didn't have to lean on it this time. Haru came running into the room, grabbing dad's legs as he hid from his sister.

Yami moved away from Yuugi, unable to help a laugh at the sight of his son. The two really were his pride and joy. He bent down, upsetting Haru's hair in an affectionate ruffle.

"No daddy! You'll mess it up." Called Haru, trying desperately to comb through the tangled mess with his fingers.

"Haru, would you like another little sister?" said Yami,

"No! One is enough."

"Shame." Said Yami, eyes wondering to his wife. She had moved away from fridge, pulling more things from the cabinet. Her eyes were still darkened in desire. "Then you might need to tell your mother to stop giving me the bedroom eyes."

Yami quickly ducked as a Tupperware lid went flying for his head.

"Yami! Careful around the kids." She hissed, but it was too late. Haru had recognized that daddy had said something he wasn't supposed to. His smile brightened in the way only children could when they were about to be naughty.

"Bedroom eyes!" shouted Haru. "Mommy gave daddy bedroom eyes!"

"'droom eyes!" echoed Megumi.

The kids started to romp about the kitchen, yelling at the tops of their voices "Bedroom eyes! Bedroom eyes!"

Yuugi groaned, running a hand through her hair. There was a small amount of amusement as she said to Yami. "You're explaining that one to your mother when she gets here."

"If I need to." Said Yami, walking over to pull Yuugi into a one-handed hug. She didn't protest as he gave her a kiss on the temple. "It should be self-explanatory what happened."

Yuugi smiled, returning the side hug as she snuggled into his side.

"Welcome home Yami." She sighed.

He planted another kiss into her hair, rubbing her arm affectionately as he gave a soft sigh. For it was because of her he felt he had a home. No matter where he was, as long as she was here in his arms with his little ones destroying everything in their wake, he would be home.

He pulled her closer, smile on his face as he echoed. "Welcome home."

* * *

 **The end**

 **So there's your fluffy goodness for an ending. Yum.**

 **Thanks a ton for reading!**

 **Now you must do three things!:**

 **1) If you have not done so, please leave a comment! It really makes my day to hear your thoughts on the story, especially now that it's over.**

 **2) Ignore my shamelessness as I ask you to look at my other work, The Weight of a Soul. I think it's a fabulous story, even if there is no puzzleshipping. Give it a try!**

 **3) Accept my heartfelt appreciation for finishing this story. It's really flattering that you took the time out of your day to read my story. So truly thank you, especially to those awesome ones that left reviews!**

 **Guest, whitlaw123, metallicbubbles, Phoenix Flametail, watermellow, shadowfox777, Contentkarma347, Mistoka, CottonCoccon, Guildsnake, Jaylonni Love, Littleflamekitten, Guest 2, KristalSkarlet! Thank you all so much!**

 **Now, to the business of my thoughts. I know that there is still a lot that could be addressed in this story, and there is a ton of background stuff that I never showed. So here's my idea.**

 **If I do short stories for the other couples, would you bother taking the time to read it? It would be a new fic with all the side stories compiled into it, as well as the issues I hinted at but never solved. It would clear up a lot of the holes in the story.**

 **The stories/extras would include (but not excluded to) tendershipping, puppyshipping, flashback of how Yami and Yuugi became friends, bronzeshipping, etc. Maybe even a flash-forward of some college life. Let me know if you'd bother reading. If not enough people care, I'll move on from this fic and write something else. Either way, I'm taking a break and that new story won't show up for months if I do it.**

 **In the mean time, thank you again! And I wish you all wonderfulness and happiness and all that fluffy jazz**

 **Peace**

 **-King of Doors.**


	119. Side Stories Announcement

**Hello, my dear readers/followers. This is not a new chapter and though I know it's technically not what an update is supposed to be used for, I also realize how unreasonable it is of me to expect all of you waiting for a sequel to watch for one. So this is a note letting you know that the extra stories are being made. I just posted the third chapter, so you can go and enjoy side stories from this tale if you were interested in reading more. It's called Kanojo Ni Naru Hi Yuugi Another! It will include puzzle, puppy, bronze, and tendershipping. Maybe other stuff too.**

 **I'd like to also say a big thank you to all those that have read the story and left a review. I'm super flattered by the responses I've gotten and take delight in going through and re-reading them on occasion. They have been a huge motivation for me and keep me writing.**

 **Anyhoo, I'll end it here. Hope to see Y'all in the next one!**

 **-King of Doors**


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